


The Cinderella Cliche

by JeanneRiddle



Series: The Royal Romance [1]
Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Cinderella Elements, F/M, Romance, The Royal Romance Retelling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-26 14:33:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 72,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13859745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeanneRiddle/pseuds/JeanneRiddle
Summary: Airili Vitalia is a young waitress from New York. After a chance meeting with the Prince of Cordonia and his friends, she travels to a charming country she knows hardly anything about. She has to compete against women with much more experience in court. Is her strong connection with Prince Thomas enough to guarantee the marriage of her dreams or is she doomed for failure?





	1. Once Upon a Time

New York City. There was nothing quite like it. The hustle and bustle of pedestrians and cars, and people just generally going about their business. Some people hated the noise, but it was never anything that bothered Airili. And the rude people didn't really bother her either. It was all a part of everyday life. She adored the city, but it wasn't what she wanted. Her gig as a waitress was just a means to an end. That end, of course, was to make enough that she could see the world and do things she had never gotten the chance to do yet. She wasn't entirely sure what things it was that she wanted to do but she was up to try anything. 

She had her long, brown hair tied up in a neat bun. It was a professional look, one she used when she went to work. It made her work uniform look just about as terrible and unflattering as it was. There was no making that outfit look good. She had so many dreams and yet, here she was hauling trash to a dumpster in one of the many sleazy alleyways in New York City. Still, she couldn't help but romanticize her life. One day, she would do want she wanted. One day, she'd make all of her dreams come true. She just had to work for it. She looked over at her coworker Daniel, who was also hauling a heavy bag of trash to the dumpster with her. 

"Just another glamorous New York Saturday night of hauling trash to the dumpster..." she quipped, and he chuckled in response. 

"It could be worse. There could be--" Daniel was distracted by conveniently timed squeaks and the scampering of- "Rats! Airili, help!" and with that, Daniel, with about as much grace as a newborn fowl, leaped backwards and stumbled up the four crumbling steps that led back into the kitchen, pressing his back to the wall as if that would effectively put more distance between him and the multitude of rodents that were now scurrying to and fro. Airili snickered a bit and knelt down to look at them.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of this adorable little mouse family." She teased with a smirk, wishing that she could pet one without either contracting a disease or violating a health code. She had had a pair of pet mice when she was little, which probably contributed greatly to her appreciation of the little rodents that were, in fact, not rats as Daniel had suggested. She actually found herself relating quite a bit to the family of mice scuttling along the walls of the alleyway. "They're trying to get by, just like us..."

 "Hey! Airili, Daniel, quit slacking off over there!" came a bark from the kitchen. It was their manager, Derek. Airili couldn't say for sure why Derek was always in a bad mood but she had never seen the man with any expression other than a scowl. He even glared at the customers that came in. Honestly, it was hard to say what people came to Brandy's Bar, an ironic name since Brandy wasn't actually on the menu. The atmosphere, when not ruined by Derek's ever constant presence, was one of the only good things about the place. The food and drinks were nothing particularly special, and it was located on a street in New York that was considered neither the slums nor one that was noteworthy. It was out of the way for most commuters, unless they were living near there, and because it was in a residential area, it was not a likely place to find tourists.

"You  _told_ us to take out the garbage." Airili retorted, matching the manager's scowl as he peeked his head out of the kitchen and into the alleyway to properly scold them. 

"And now I'm  _telling_ you to wait on the bachelor party that just rolled in. Chop chop!" Derek growled and Airili and Daniel both sighed quietly as they returned to the dining area.

Derek often had a habit of being an unreasonable employer. Nothing was done to satisfaction, and work between coworkers was always an opportunity to scold his employees. Airili was only working there because she didn't have any other options near her. She walked to work and taxis were usually too pricey for her, especially if she wanted to save up enough to go experience everything the world had to offer. She entered the dining room and was greeted almost immediately by one of the men in the bachelor party.

"Waitress, there you are. We need your best table!" A man greeted her with. He was well groomed, though the evening had left him with a charming five o'clock shadow, every other feature on his face was perfectly maintained. His eyebrows had been teased and waxed into shape, and though a lot of the hair gel had dissipated, she could tell his hair was used to being shaped into the same, slicked back style everyday. He seemed a little out of place with the other two gentlemen standing next to him.

 "Forget the table. Just bring us whiskey, and lots of it." Another man in the party said. He was handsome and rugged. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a blue, denim button-up over it. It made the first gentleman look overwhelmingly overdressed to the point where it was laughable. It was easy to tell the first guy had never been in an establishment like this where as the whiskey enthusiast looked right at home in Brandy's Bar. 

Daniel peeked his head out of the kitchen and caught her attention. "Airili, please take this one." he pleaded, giving her his best puppy eyes. I've got a date tonight, and I'll never make it out of here in time..." he explained pathetically. Airili knew that Daniel had been excited for this date since it was originally planned. It was his first date with a girl from his major that he had a Big Apple-sized crush on and she couldn't imagine herself stepping between that.

"You really want me to take the bachelor party?" she asked, feigning shock. Daniel only nodded meekly, cheeks going pink from embarrassment. "I'm on it. The tip will be insane! I'll have those guys eating out of my hand in no time." she assured, batting her hand to dismiss him to go about his evening with a big grin.

Daniel's grin returned to his face and nearly leaped with joy. "You're the best!"

"Are you two  _still_ talking? I've seated them already. Now get over there before I dock your pay!" Derek growled, shoving past Daniel and back into the kitchen to go bark complaints to the cook on duty. Airili sighed softly, shaking her head at her manager before making her way to the table where the three guys were sitting, engrossed in conversation.

"Hello, gentlemen. I'll be taking care of you this evening." She said like she's said a thousand times before. 

"Waitress, steaks for the table." the third man starts and it made her cringe internally. She hated when people called her waitress but it was unavoidable since Derek was too cheap to spend money on name tags for his employees. The third man made the first one look over-dressed too. He was wearing a simple, black button-up and his hair was spiked in the front and short on the sides. All and all, the jolly group seemed like the most unlikely group of friends. 

"How about some filet mignon, medium rare and prepared with a bearnaise sauce?" the first man suggested instead, looking uncomfortable with the very idea of something as simple as steak, though he kept his subtle smile.

"The closest thing we have to filet mignon is the deluxe burger." Airili admitted, raising an eyebrow at the first man.

 "Dare I ask for your wine list?" the suit-clad man asked, a look of anguished disappointment appearing on his features.

"We've got an excellent vintage house red..." Airili tried, not sure there was any way to salvage the more distinguish man's opinion.

" _House red_?" The man asked in astonishment, and she felt encouraged enough to continue her selling tactic.

"It also comes in white." she added calmly and the man looked like he was about to faint.

"We'll be fine with a bottle of whiskey..." the scruffy looking man assured with a chuckle. "and four deluxe burgers." he added, smirking as he saw his friend try to protest.

"Four?" Airili asked, raising an eyebrow. She glanced at the empty seat and back to the scruffy man. He nodded his head behind her and she turned around to see a very handsome man with black hair and a smile as sweet as honey. He was the second best dressed guy in the group, wearing a white shirt with a black blazer and a small, blue scarf tucked under the collar and neatly tied. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen a guy so handsome. And it must've shown on her face because his smile became more genuine as he turned to her.

"Sorry I'm late. Thank you for your patience, Miss...?" His voice was like velvet. It was so soft and calming but yet, it made her heart flutter. Yep, she was starstruck with a complete stranger. This guy had to be a model or a movie star. She brought her attention back to what he was asking.

"Uh, Airili." She replied blankly. She felt like an idiot who didn't even know her own name, but the gentleman didn't seem bothered by it at all. Instead he simply smiled his bright smile again.

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, Airili." he said genuinely. Once again the melodic sound of his voice put her in a trance.

"The pleasure is all mine." She said nearly stumbling over her words. She blushed slightly and tried again. "It's nice to meet you." that sentence came out much less botched which made her feel only a little relieved. She still felt like a complete idiot in front of this man and she was fairly certain she'd blown all chances of getting his number. She forced herself back to reality. "Now let me go put your order in. Be right back!" she said in a chipper voice.

There were hardly any other customers in the bar at all, so when she wasn't waiting on one of the three occupied parties, she was cleaning up and busing tables. The bachelor party still had her intrigued. Normally, it was easy to tell who the groom to be was, but in this group of unorthodox friends, she couldn't imagine who the celebrated bachelor was. She assumed it was the rugged man since he ordered for the whole party. It was nice to see a group of such closely knit people. The closest thing she had to a friend was Daniel and she only ever talked to him at work. Admittedly, she needed to expand her social life, but it would have to wait until she had the money to go out there and do things.

The evening passed rather quickly and soon the bar had closed and the bachelors were the only table still occupied. In that time she had managed to get the names of all four men. Tariq was the over-dressed man. Maxwell was the guy in the black shirt. Drake was the denim-clad whiskey lover. And the handsome man who made her feel like a silly school girl was Thomas. Airili was scrubbing a table when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned to see Thomas standing behind her with his hands entwined behind his back.

"I think we're just about ready to head out. I just wanted to thank you... and apologize." He said softly, a little regret subtly etching his features. "I know we kept you late, and my friends can be..." he paused as he tried to find the right word, "demanding."

"Demanding?" Airili asked. Demanding wasn't how she would describe the group of guys. Yes, they required her assistance every ten minutes or so, mostly to get Drake more whiskey, but in comparison to Derek or some of her other customers, they seemed great. "Nothing I couldn't handle." she assured.

"I got the feeling that you could take care of yourself." Thomas said with a relieved grin, and then it faded to a more indifferent but anxious expression. "If you don't have any other plans tonight, maybe I can make it up to you by buying you a drink. We're about to go to a club."

"Oh?" she asked, intrigued. "Which one?"

"We were hoping you might have some advice about that." he admitted, shuffling one of his feet slightly. "We're not from around here." 

"I recommend going to a gorgeous secret cove by the beach. Forget the club." She admitted, never really being one for the loud, pumping music or the sweaty bodies. And Thomas seemed similar in that aspect. His sweet smile returned brighter than before.

"You know... that actually sounds perfect." he said contentedly. "To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of the usual bachelor party antics. Lead the way!" he encouraged, kindly gesturing for her to go ahead.

"Sure! Let me finish up here, and I'll meet you out front..." she agreed, gently pressing a finger to Derek's lips as she walked past him to the back. She changed as quickly as she could, letting her hair down and whipping it back and forth until it fell on her shoulders in a naturally comfortable way. She slid out of her too big, polyester shirt and factory slacks, and her undoubtedly bad decision black work shoes and shoved them into the locker as quickly as she could, taking out a cute black choker necklace, some black flats with silver tips, and a dark green, off-the-shoulder dress that's longer in the back. She put on her outfit with haste, soothing out her hair in the break room mirror. 

Deciding that she could look much better than that, she made her way through the front locking the front door on her way out. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw the four men standing at the curb, waiting for her. Drake was first to notice her because he was facing her.

"Wow." he said in utter shock as he looked at the transformed waitress.

"Wow?" Airili asked with a small smirk.

"I... almost didn't recognize you." he admitted, straightening out his denim shirt awkwardly.

"That uniform wasn't doing you justice." Tariq said with the biggest grin he had on his face all evening.

"Yeah, the waitress is  _hot._ " Maxwell added, clapping Tariq and Drake on the back with a goofy smile. Thomas' usually gentle expression turned into a strict scowl and he cleared his throat as he shot his friend a reprimanding glance.

"Her name is Airili, and I doubt she appreciates you talking about her like that." He scolded.

"Right." Maxwell stumbled, feeling his cheeks heat up as he was called out. "Sorry, Airili. I meant to say, you look lovely." he corrected himself and then his face lit up mischievously. "Now let's get this party going!"

"So she's our tour guide now?" Drake asked Thomas with raised eyebrows.

"Airili was kind enough to agree to show us around. She's doing us a favor, so play nice." Thomas stated firmly but with his usual expression. Everyone slipped inside the limo on the curb and Airili was kind of surprised to see it. These guys were certainly going all out for their friend's bachelor party, that was for sure. There was no way she was going to miss out on a limo ride, especially since she'd always wanted to ride in one.

It didn't take very long at all for them to get to the beach, though she didn't really have time to enjoy the group of guys because she was giving the driver directions. Every once in a while the group would explode into laughter, followed usually by Tariq scolding them for teasing him, though she couldn't help but notice that Thomas was rather quiet, as if preoccupied with something. When they finally arrived, Airili guided them down to the beach. It was always quiet, though this late at night there would be no concerns about other people.

The beach was surrounded on both sides by steep cliff faces and large boulders, though one of the cliff faces was absent, replaced instead by a dark cove. It was a full moon and even though it was foggy, the stars were relatively easy to see, even from the shore. The top of the cliffs were covered in bright, green foliage and the beach itself was covered in many smooth boulders at the edge of the water.

"We should build a bonfire." Drake stated enthusiastically, grinning as he looked at a place just off shore that had some large logs and was clear of rocks enough to be a nice place to start the bonfire he seemed so intent on building.

"I'm not doing manual labor." Tariq protested almost immediately with a pout.

"Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to. What I meant was,  _I'll go build a bonfire._ " Drake sighed heavily, picking out dry driftwood and setting in the spot he designated to be the bonfire before scouring the beach for rocks.

"This place is awesome!" Maxwell exclaimed, starting to unzip his pants. "Skinny dipping!" 

"Keep your pants on, Maxwell." Tariq chastised with a look of horror at Maxwell's indecency. Airili chuckled softly as Tariq walked up to him and zipped his pants up for him, swatting away Maxwell's protesting hands.

"Thank you for bringing us here. I can tell the guys are enjoying themselves already." Thomas said, standing next to her and watching the scene unravel before them with a small, but somewhat lonely smile.

"I bet you're used to putting everyone else first." Airili said, glancing up at him just in time to see a flash of surprise in his eyes before he returned to his usual cool and collected expression.

"And why would you say that?"

"I can tell. I'm good at reading people..." She explained, expecting that Thomas would make a comment but since he didn't, she decided to see if she couldn't learn more about him. "Now, forget about your friends. What about  _you?_ Do you like it here?"

"I love it." he said honestly, shoulders finally starting to relax a bit.

"It's my secret spot, so I'm really trusting you." She teased with a smile.

"I'll do my best to be worthy of that trust." Thomas said with a small smile teasing the corners of his mouth. "Though there's just one problem... How am I supposed to buy you that drink?"

"You'll think of something. Or maybe you'll just keep owing me." she said cheekily.

"Fair enough. So what should  _we_ do?" Airili looked out over the beach. The would-be bonfire was coming along nicely. Tariq and Maxwell seemed to be enjoying themselves, though most of it appeared to be Maxwell teasing Tariq. But none of that looked like something that would help unwind Thomas and his mysteries.

"We should climb up the cliff!" Airili suggested with a grin, running over the beach to the cliff face next to the water flooded cove. Thomas followed suite looking up at the top in surprise.

"Way up there?"

"Try to keep up!" Airili encouraged, starting to find the footholds she was so familiar with. She didn't usually do this in a skirt but she didn't exactly have other options since her uniform was always washed at the bar before she went in for her shift. It took Airili a couple minutes to scale the cliff.

"Did it." she said with a grin, panting softly as she looked out over the beach. The stars were much easier to see at the top of the cliff and the moon looked bigger too. She extended her hand down to Thomas to help him up. 

"Thanks." he murmured as he sat down and gazed up at the stars. Airili sat next to him and did the same.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?" Thomas asked, looking at her in confusion. Airili chuckled.

"The view. Worth the climb, right?"

"Oh, definitely." Thomas said with a bright grin that made the stars seem dimmer. Both of them returned their gaze to the view, watching the waves down below sparkle with moonlight and the fog further on the horizon swirl about excitedly with the breeze. Of course, the one thing that wasn't ideal about being jacket-less in on a beach at one in the morning  was that it was cold. She shivered slightly and Thomas saw it through his peripheral vision and looked at her with a concerned expression.

"Cold?"

"Maybe just a little..." Airili admitted with a soft sigh. Thomas looked down at the shore and saw fire flickering.

"I see that the guys got the bonfire going. Let's head back down and warm up..." he suggested, starting to stand and helping her stand too. Climbing down the cliff seemed more daunting to Thomas but with a little bit of encouragement, he managed to brave his concerns and they made it down safely.

Drake had now joined Maxwell and Tariq in the water and the two more relaxed guys were making a game out of splashing water in Tariq's direction. Airili and Thomas both sat down on on of the big logs next to the fire, appreciating the flames and the warmth they provided. The fire was now in full swing and illuminating the beach with it's warm glow.

"Tonight's been quite the adventure..." Thomas mused, corners of his mouth turning up in their usual hidden smile. "I never thought my night out on the town would end up like this. You're really something else, aren't you?"

"I'm going to take that as a compliment." Airili smiled, sticking her hands out towards the flames to warm them up too.

"Believe me, it is. Spending time with you tonight has been the most fun I've had this entire vacation." Thomas admitted though he was smiling and there wasn't any regret towards the rest of his vacation present in it.

"I guess that means you haven't really been enjoying yourself very much." she mused and both of their expressions went serious.

"It's been wonderful, but there's something missing. I really wanted to do one thing in particular while I was here..."

"And what's that?"

"It's... well..." Thomas hesitated, looking a bit embarrassed. "You're probably going to think it's silly, but I've always wanted to see that Stature of Liberty... It wasn't really in the guys' plan, so we just never got around to it. And now it's my last day here... I don't mean to sound so ungrateful. It was thoughtful of my friends to throw me this bachelor party. They've done their best, but I'm not in the mood to celebrate."

"Wait a second, it's YOUR bachelor party?" Airili paused at that, looking up at him in surprise. She'd been flirting with the groom-to-be. Well, now she felt like a total idiot. "Congratulations." she said, trying to salvage the evening and at least play it off like she hadn't been interested in something more with him. She supposed it made sense that he was the one getting married. He was perfect and the perfect ones always got snatched up before she had a chance to really know them.

"If you knew the whole story, you might not congratulate me so quickly." Thomas said, sighing softly.

"Oh?"

"I actually don't know who I'm going to marry yet... only that I'll have to pick my fiancee by the end of the year."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Airili asked curiously. Thomas frowned, looking at the sand below his feet with a regretful expression.

"The truth is, Airili..." he paused, taking a deep breath, obviously trying to muster the courage to get out whatever it was he was trying to tell her. "I'm the Crown Prince of Cordonia."

"You're a prince?" she questioned. At first, she wasn't sure she believed him, but as she looked at his expression, she could tell that he was either the best actor on the face of the planet or completely serious. "This doesn't change anything. I don't care what your title is. You're still the same guy I met earlier this evening..." Thomas stared at her in surprised fascination. "Caring, thoughtful... I've seen a lot of customers come and go, but I've never seen any guy at his own bachelor party be concerned about whether the waitress was having a good night."

"You don't know how rare it is to hear someone say that. You're the first one, in fact." He said, beaming brightly. His eyes filled with something she hadn't seen in them before but it was calm and joyful, like a light had turned on inside him and his smile was finally reaching his eyes as well. "It seems the more I talk to you, the more I like you, Airili." then his smile faded just a bit. "It's strange... I've known my whole life that I have to take up the duties of the monarchy. I've always wondered how that's shaped me, who I might've been without the crown. You could be anything, do anything. What drives you, Airili?"

"What I really want is to live every day to the fullest." Airili answered easily, brushing some of her hair behind her ear before leaning back slightly to get a better view of Thomas' face. "Sure, I'm only waiting tables now, but... I like to make every day an adventure. You only get one chance at life. I want to make mine mean something.

"That's beautiful, Airili." Thomas confessed with an awestruck smile. They both got quiet after a moment or so, looking out at the surf. They watched as Maxwell, Drake, and Tariq splashed water at one another.

"Got ya, Tariq!" Maxwell exclaimed victoriously and Drake giggled mischievously.

"I told you, these shoes are leather!" Tariq cried out in distress, trying to dodge the onslaught of salt water spraying in his direction.

"Aw, lighten up, Tariq. You've got, what, a hundred pairs?" Drake asked, splashing at him again.

"Looks like your friends are having fun..." Airili said quietly, glancing back at Thomas.

"Good. I'm happy for them. They deserve to have fun..." Thomas said, shoulders tensing. "Tomorrow, it's back to Cordonia for the Start of the social season."

"But it's not tomorrow yet..." Airili chimed, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.

"What are you suggesting?" he asked curiously.

"You siad you wanted to see the Stature of Liberty. Let's do it!" Airili suggested, nearly bouncing with excitement where she sat. "I know a place where we can catch a boat tour. Best view in town."

"Right now? But it's way past midnight. Won't all the tours be closed?"

"Oh... right." Airili muttered, defeated. She felt bad for getting Thomas' hopes up like that only to have nothing to fall back on. "I forgot how late it's gotten. In that case... You're lucky I can call in a favor."

"A favor?" Thomas asked, eyes widening as she continued to suggest the statue he wanted to desperately to see. "And just like that, you can get us on a tour boat after midnight to see the Statue of Liberty?"

"Well, maybe a few favors, actually, but I have some friends who owe me." she grinned brightly, standing up. "It won't be easy, but I know this is important to you, so... let's go!"

"Right now?" Thomas asked like a broken record. He simply couldn't believe this sweet waitress was doing this just for him.

"It's only getting later every minute we wait. Besides, it looks like the guys are busy enough. I bet they won't even notice you're gone."  she reasoned, helping Thomas off the log.

"You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope."

"Then I happily surrender to your demands." Thomas said with a smile, the grin once again reaching his eyes. 

It was the first time she'd taken a taxi in a while, but taking Thomas to see the Statue of Liberty seemed worth the $2.50 per mile it would cost to get him there seemed completely worth it. She guided him to the docks, pausing at the end of it and leaning against the rail as they looked over the skyline.

"...And here we wait."

"For?"

"A magical boat I've summoned just for you." Airili said with a grin. Thomas was trying hard not to expect the boat to actually come as it seemed unreasonable and rather improbable that it was going to come. And yet he still found himself here. He glanced out over the skyline, rather amazed to see the city still lit up despite it being so late.

"Not a bad view..." he mused, unable to see the statue through the thick fog.

"Now, I'm dying to know why you're so eager to see the Statue of Liberty."

"Can't you guess?" Thomas asked, glancing down at her.

"Because you might never see it again." Airili said, suddenly feeling sad for her companion.

"You're right." he confirmed, finally leaning on the railing. "Even if I'm ever able to return to New York, it certainly wouldn't be as a tourist. I have a feeling I'll regret it if I don't see the one thing I wished to when we left Cordonia. Knowing I was so close to what I wanted, but I didn't reach out and grab it." Thomas said, sadness starting to flood his features. He looked into her eyes for what seemed like a minute and then he looked away, clearing his throat.

"Thomas..." Airili started, but then a loud horn sounded, catching both of their attention. They gazed out over the water and spotted the tour boat pulling up at the edge of the dock. "There's our ride!"

Thomas stared at Airili and then the boat in disbelief but then his eyes lit up again and he followed her onto the boat. She guided him up to the front of the boat, looking out at the water as the fog enveloped them.

"Part of me didn't think you'd pull this off." Thomas admitted, smiling despite the statement. Excitement and anticipation were coursing through him and to Airili, he looked like a little kid that had just gotten a puppy for Christmas.

"You didn't think I could pull it off?" Airili asked, smirking. "You just don't know me very well."

"You're right." he agreed, still beaming the further from shore they got. "But I'd like to fix that. You're fascinating, Airili. Why are you doing this for me?" he asked quietly, expression growing serious again.

"I'm doing this because maybe I'm falling for you." she answered. She meant it as a joke but something about it felt so natural, so right that she couldn't even bring herself to take it back.

"Airili..." Thomas murmured, shock expressed freely on his face before it changed to regret. "With my having to go back to Cordonia, I hope you know that I can't--"

"I know." Airili assured shyly. "But I wanted to say it, even if that's as far as it goes." Thomas' expression softened a bit and he took her hand in his own, bringing it to his lips and then holding it against his chest. She could feel his heart pounding beneath her fingertips.

"Airili..." he tried again, that gentle light flickering in his eyes. "To be honest, no one's ever done anything like this for me before."

"Really?" she asked in surprise. "Come on, you're a prince. I bet people do things for you all the time."

"I do get all the perks that come with being royalty, but no one's ever seen me as just...  _me._ No one's ever listened to me the way you do. No one's ever come up with a spur-of-the-moment plan to make my dreams come true."

"Thomas..." She breathed softly, fingers daring to gently grip the fabric of his shirt. "I'm glad I could help."

"You're an amazing person." he said genuinely with a content sigh as if it was the first time he was actually able to breathe. The fog of the harbor faded as the boat slowed its pace. Airili spotted the Statue of Liberty and nudged him gently to point it out to him. Thomas merely stared in awe.

"So? What do you think?"

"Magnificent." Thomas admitted, unable to look away from the towering woman that signified the freedom he'd never truly get to experience. "I've heard that art has meaning because of what it makes the viewer  _feel._ Whether it's ink splatters on a canvas or the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, it only matters if it moves you."

"And?"

"And right now, looking at this view with you, I feel like anything is possible." he confessed, his smile once again returning to his face. "Thank you for this moment, Airili. This feeling... this means more to me than you could ever know."

"Thomas..." 

"I want you to know that I admire you. Your adventurous spirit. The way you follow your heart."

"You can live that way too." Airili encouraged, hoping to see that sweet smile again.

"If only." he mused. "My whole life I've prepared myself to do what's best for Cordonia."

"Well, we're not in Cordonia now..." she pointed out, hoping to at least provide him with temporary freedom. She glanced up into his dark brown eyes and he drew closer to her until she could feel his warm breath against her face. She couldn't help herself, she pressed her hand to the back of his head and pulled him into a deep kiss. Thomas found himself surprised at first but them he could help but smile into the kiss and return it.

"I'm glad to have met you, Airili. I'll never forget this night." he whispered, fingers gently brushing over her cheekbones.

* * *

The next morning it had felt like it all was a dream, which was unfortunate. Thomas had a life laid out for him in Cordonia and she couldn't change that. She was never going to see him again. That actually hurt. She sighed softly and put her hair up in it's usual bun after she put on a black tank top and some jeans. She decided to go for the same flats as the day before, deciding they were her new favorite shoes because of the memories she had gained while wearing them. She slipped them on. She walked to work, sighing softly. She had gotten to live like she wanted to just for a little bit last night, so why was she so down in the dumps today? Was it due to the feeling like she was returning to a boring world rather than the colorful and magical one that Thomas had swept her away in the night before. She frowned a bit, walking up the steps to Brandy's Bar. She had her hand on the door handle when she heard a familiar voice.

"Airili!" She turned and saw Maxwell, leaning down and panting softly. "Glad I caught you. We're heading back to Cordonia so Thomas can find someone to marry and all that jazz. But before I go, I wanted to officially extend to you an invitation to join us for the festivities in Cordonia."

"Huh?" Airili asked stupidly, eyes going wide as she stared at Maxwell. She had so many questions and no idea on how to voice them.

"You wouldn't usually be allowed to join... but I want to sponsor you!" This answered a question but opened another one.

"Sponsor me?"

"I'm from a noble house, but I don't have any sisters, so we don't have anyone in contention to marry the Prince. Instead, we can sponsor any girl we choose. And you're my pick."

"You want to sponsor me? Why me?"

"I'm not just doing it for you. I saw how Thomas looked at you. I've never seen him so happy. Honestly? I don't want him to lose that." Maxwell explained, frowning at the idea of never seeing Thomas truly happy again. He shook his head and brought himself back to the present. "We're kinda crunched for time, though. I've got a plane leaving within the hour..."

"Whoa. You're moving a little fast, don't you think?" Airili asked in shock. She could hardly believe the situation she was being offered. And some part of her now understood how Thomas felt being offered the chance to see the Statue of Liberty.

"No time to waste." Maxwell said with a shrug. "The opening Masquerade is tonight! It's the start of the... uh, I guess you could say, it's the start of the competition."

"What do you mean?" she questioned, head still spinning with unanswered questions.

"There's a whole horde of gorgeous, rich, noble women vying to become Cordonia's next queen. And it's not  _just_ about winning the Prince's hand. You've got to prove to the council that you can rule Cordonia with him. But I think you've got what it takes. You're witty and charming."

"Uh, thanks." She said, not sure if he was being genuine or not. How could a waitress compete with girls that grew up governing? She tried to play it cool. "So... a fancy Masquerade... and what else am I getting myself into?"

"Fun stuff, I promise!" Maxwell encouraged with a grin. "You'll get to go yachting on the Mediterranean, skiing in the Alps, and dancing in the Royal Palace... Or, y'know, you could stay here... And go back to your waitress gig with your crappy boss. That's probably about as good."

Airili new that Maxwell was trying his best to tempt her. She paused and thought about last night, how much fun she had had, how amazing her trip to the Statue of Liberty with Thomas had been, and the chance to experience memories just like that one and live life to the fullest. There was no question in her mind as a bright smile broke out onto her face. 

"I'm in."

"Yeah!" Maxwell celebrated, throwing his hands up in the air. "Go pack your bags. This is going to be the adventure of a lifetime!"


	2. Welcome to Cordonia

The hour before Airili got on the plane felt like a whirlwind of excitement. Maxwell helped her pack whatever she needed and quickly rushed her to the private jet. It was small and yet efficiently roomy, well lit, and very elegant. She could only stare as she looked around at every detail, trying to commit everything to detail. Then she noticed Drake sitting down on one of the plush seats, staring at her and Maxwell with raised eyebrows. Maxwell put her luggage in storage and patted her shoulder encouragingly with a smile. They both sat down and there was an awkward silence that could mostly be attributed to Drake's brooding presence. It was a eight hour flight of Drake's unwavering stare, Maxwell's almost constant fidgeting, and it was easiest to just zone out on the one book series she had packed: The Star Trilogy. But after a while she decided it would be best to nap if she was going to go attend a masquerade shortly after arriving.

"Say 'goodbye' to New York and 'hello' to Cordonia!" Maxwell said suddenly with a giant grin, gesturing out the window. Airili was started awake by the exclamation but upon realizing what he said, she rushed to the window and stared out at the incredible view. Below them still was a vast ocean but appearing on the horizon, was a land covered in beautiful vegetation.

"I can't believe this is actually happening..." Airili murmured, grinning.

"Believe it." Drake muttered indifferently. "We'll be landing soon, ready or not. And if you're  _not_ ready, those ladies at court are going to eat you alive." he didn't look particularly smug, yet his posture seemed to show that he was gloating a little bit at the idea of Airili failing miserably at court. 

"Yeesh, don't scare her, Drake." Maxwell chastised with a frown. He looked over at her. "You okay, Airili?"

"Honestly, I'm not afraid of anything." Airili answered seriously, looking at Drake a little defiantly. This was a new experience, a lot of them, actually, and she would never back down from a new experience. 

"Heh." Drake chuckled, a small but comfortable smile appearing on his face. "We'll see once we land."

"I don't get why you're being so grim about this..." Airili admitted, resting her chin on her hand and frowning at him.

"Look, no offense, but I've seen girls like you come and go." Drake muttered, tapping his finger on the table in front of them. "It never ends well. Not for you, not for Thomas, not for the royal family."

"Airili's not some crown-chaser." Maxwell said sternly, glaring at Drake in order to make his point stronger.

"Drake..." Airili started, trying to decide what would best convince the skeptic that her intentions were pure. "I'm different than those girls. Thomas being a prince doesn't matter at all to me." 

"That's exactly the kind of naive thinking that's going to land you in trouble here." Drake said seriously with a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples. They paused when the pilot came on the intercom and announced that the plane was landing.

"Hey, look!" Maxwell beamed. "You can see Cordonia out the window! Airili, you won't want to miss this!" Airili stared out the window and her eyes widened. There was a town built all the way to the edge of the water, the buildings were classic european architecture. She could see where the town ended in every direction. It was so much smaller than Manhattan and yet, she couldn't be happier. The town climbed up a hill and at the top of the hill was an elegant palace. 

"That's Cordonia?" Airili asked, eyebrows quirking upwards. "It's like something out of a fairy tale! The sparkling ocean, the swaying trees--"

"If you burst into song, I'm jumping out of the plane." Drake sighed heavily, shaking his head back and forth.

"I'm just saying it's beautiful." Airili defended, crossing her arms over her chest and sighing.

"It is, isn't it?" Maxwell mused, looking out the window before glancing over at her. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Airili said with a nervous smile, following them out of the plane and into a car. They were quiet as they rode together, allowing Airili to stare out at the beautiful capital of this quaint country and take in everything. She stared as they approached the large, elegant building that she had recognized as the palace. There was foliage everywhere but it was neatly kept. The driveway went all the way up the door and then looped back around to the front gates and in the middle of the courtyard was a beautiful, three-tiered fountain.

"... the Royal Palace." Maxwell leaned over and explained in a whisper, smiling a bit. "Welcome to your home for the next few months, Airili."

"This is where I'm staying?" Airili asked, shock overtaking her expression of awe. "I didn't realize I'd be living in the palace!"

"Most of the nobility live here while the social season is underway..." Maxwell explained casually, shrugging and then he said seriously, "Including all the ladies vying for Thomas' hand."

"Yeah, living under one roof just makes it easier to attend the rose ceremony later..." Drake said with a smirk. Maxwell crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Drake's just kidding... at least about the roses." he assured. "Anyway, I'll show you to your room, Airili..."

"This is my cue to take off." Drake muttered, heading off away from the palace. "See you around... if you're lucky." he said ominously and Maxwell sighed heavily as the palace doors were opened for them and they walked in. They started walking up the staircase together and Airili took in the grand architecture and interior design that went into the heart of Cordonia. The walls were elegantly covered in dozens of paintings that were all probably from Cordonian painters and artists. While they all had different themes and art styles, when she took them all in at once, she couldn't help but be impressed with how well they all seemed to blend together, as if the Palace was a piece of art as well. The staircases were large and marble, covered in a red carpet that seemed to guide people throughout all the main traffic areas of the palace. And the ceilings were so high up that Airili couldn't tell if each step she took upwards was actually going to help her see the exquisite details she knew were there.

"So what's the deal with Drake?" she asked suddenly, looking up at Maxwell. "Why is he... so jaded?" she didn't want to say anything to critical but she was curious as to why he was a giant rain cloud, insisting on raising on her parade.

"Oh, don't mind him." Maxwell soothed. "Drake's never really... fit in." 

"Not used to courtly life?"

"Definitely not." Maxwell answered with a chuckle. "He's a commoner. He's... always been an outsider here. Even if he is Thomas' best friend..." he turned down a corridor to the left when he got to the top of the stairs and Airili followed after him quickly. She glanced up at the ceiling, her curiosity too much for her to contain. 

The ceiling was gorgeous, as she had predicted. The large chandelier that hung in the middle of it was decorated in what must've been thousands of crystals, set up in such a way that it appeared like it was raining these elegant crystals. The lights for the chandelier weren't on at the moment, which made sense with how bright the room was with the massive windows that allowed the sun to more than do its job. From the base of the chandelier, the ceiling took on a look that Airiili had never seen before. The ceiling was covered in gold vines that spread to the furthest reaches of the room but never touched the walls. Leaves were spread randomly along it all and when she squinted, it appeared that diamonds dotted them as if to look like raindrops, but perhaps most impressive were the roses carved out of pink quartz, found all along the vines, but most frequently the ends of the vines and anywhere the vines forked. They were small and most of them were in different stages of bloom. It was difficult to see the detail at this distance, but it was obviously very skillfully done. And they were very securely connected to the ceiling, making her feel no concern that they might fall.

"Your room's here in the west wing. In case you need anything from me or my brother, our rooms are just a couple doors away." Maxwell explained, gesturing to the hall he had started walking to. Airili gazed at all the elegant and ornate doors, admiring how the ceiling in these halls arched. They weren't anywhere near as elegant as the ceiling in the entrance but they were lightly painted to look like the night sky, since these ceilings were easier to reach, they were not embellished with diamonds, but she looked closely and saw that small crystals dotted it as if to look like stars.

"I didn't know you had a brother." Airili smirked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, an older brother. His official title is Duke Bertrand Beaumont. As the eldest son, he's the heir and I'm the spare. You'll see him tonight. He'll be excited to meet you." Maxwell stopped in front of an ornate door at the end of the hall, gesturing to it. "This is it... Here's your room!"

Behind the door was a beautiful room filled with full-lenght paintings, gilded ceilings, and a bed of fluffy pillows. Every corner was decorated with ornate designs painted in gold and a mirror behind the bed made the whole room feel even larger. The room had to be the size of her pathetic studio and the bathroom to the side appeared to be incredibly large as well. "Wow..."

"As a royal guest, you're spared no luxury..." Maxwell explained, a small smirk at her awed expression.

"So nothing's stopping me from jumping on the bed?"

"Only your dignity."

"Perfect." Airili murmured, racing over to the edge of the bed and leaping onto the mattress only to sink into the plush and incredibly cloud like luxury with a happy sigh. " _Ahhh..._ This is so much better than memory foam."

"I'll let you settle in before your big debut tonight..."

"My what?" Airili asked, shooting up into a sitting position to stare at Maxwell.

"I'm sorry, I keep forgetting that you're not used to all this. The first even of the social season is tonight... The Masquerade. It's the ball where all the suitors will be presented to the Prince, as well as to the King. Not everyone dresses in costume, but you can be sure that the ladies competing for Thomas' attention will be pulling out all the stops." Maxwell glanced at Airili's suitcase with a doubtful expression. "I'm guessing it's too much to ask if you've got a costume or fancy ball gown in there..."

"I packed  _a_ dress." 

"Well, I wasn't sure, so I've made an appointment for you at the palace boutique. Maybe you'll find something you like better there!" 

"I'll check it out..." Airili murmured, pulling out a hilariously simple full-length, blue dress. Yeah, this wasn't going to work.

"Remember. Tonight is  _very important._ It's your chance to make a first impression on all the influential people at court and to stand apart from everyone else!"

"Don't worry. I've got this." Airili assured, patting Maxwell's shoulder as she made her way down to the boutique. It was relatively easy to find once she got back to the front door. She stepped in side and to her surprise, found a woman in nothing but her underwear standing in front of a mirror with a pearl-pink dress in her hands.

"Oh!" the woman exclaimed, blushing brightly and trying to cover her indecency with her hands and the dress in her hand. She was obviously of exotic ancestry, not distinctly Cordonian. She had brown hair that came down to her chest, waving slightly at the ends, and slightly slanted eyes. Chinese maybe? Airili couldn't be sure, what her ancestry was, but she was a little darker than usual, given her facial features.

"Eep!" Airili yelped, blushing and turning around. "Sorry! I didn't realize someone was already here..."

"No problem. To be honest, I didn't have an appointment." the woman assured, smiling a bit with a nervous chuckle. "I'm Hana. I suppose you're also here to prepare for the Masquerade tonight. Since you're here and not already dressed, I must assume that you're just like me... desperately searching for something to wear."

"More or less." Airili said with a small chuckle, turning around slowly in case Hana told her to continue looking away.

"The seamstress seems to be running late, but I can show you around. This boutique has the most exquisite gowns. Let me just slip my dress on..." Hana murmured, pulling the dress up her legs and carefully putting on the straps. She tried to pull up the zipper on her own but she could quite get it all the way to the top. Airili walked over to her.

"Need a hand?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That would be amazing." Hana admitted with a smile. Airili pulled the zipper up to the top and hooked the dress together. Hana picked up a mask that matched the dress perfectly and put it on before turning to Airili with a grin. "Thank you. Not many girls here are like you..."

"Helpful?"

"Nice." Hana sighed softly. "Ah, this dress is perfect!" she exclaimed looking into the mirror before spinning to show of her ensemble to her new acquaintance. The dress had a sweetheart neckline and was covered in an array of pearl-pink and white beads that swirled in different colors along the bodice of the dress but slowly shifted to a very minute amount of beading on the skirt. It came down Hana's petite form, closely fitted to her. The skirt came down to her ankles to reveal a pair of silver, strapped heels, beaded in a similar manner. Her mask was a slightly darker shade of pink, decorated with gold accents that came to swirls and flourishes at both edges of her face. "Now, what about you? One must have a mask for the Masquerade! Have you seen the angel costume? You'd look amazing in white. Or there's also a read one, if you're feeling more... devilish."

"I'll take a look..." Airili murmured, glancing at the white dress before the red dress caught her attention. Oh, yes. It was strapless and glimmering. An outer layer of fabric weaved over some rather revealing lace. She put it on and it fit perfectly to her figure, hugging her body up until it reached the shin where it fanned out, covered in the same lace that revealed her stomach and thighs. She put on a black mask that swirled out in a similar manner to Hana's, dotted with little, white rhinestones, and a multi-chain, black necklace but decided against adding the devil-horn accessories. That was going just a little too far. The shoes she decided one were strapped, black heels, that showed off her feet in the same teasing manner as her dress. "How do I look?"

"Hotter than fire, my dear." Hana said with a grin, pulling her out of the boutique and into the main corridor. Airili went up to her room and read until she her phone alarm went off saying that it was time to go to the ball. She walked down the stairs and found Maxwell waiting at the bottom of the impressive staircase.

"Nice outfit. You look great." Maxwell was dressed in a black shirt and pants, a jacket that started white at the shoulders but faded into a dark blue by the bottom of it, and black dress shoes. He had a mask on that reminded Airili vaguely of a squid. It was blue, like his jacket, but it swirled out in different directions and each tentacle was lined with round, silver studs.

"Thanks." Airili grinned, taking his arm as he guided her to the doors of the ballroom.

"One other thing I should mention. As soon as you enter, you'll tell the herald your name and title so that you can be announced..."

Airili paused, staring up at him. "What is my title?"

"You don't really have one, but since my family is sponsoring you, then you could technically be considered a 'lady.' Or we could go with your hometown. I guess I should've asked before. What's your last name?"

"Airili Vitalia."

"Well, it's not as classic a name as Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, but it'll do..." Airili playfully glared and Maxwell and he nodded to the servants to let them in. The herald announced Maxwell and then turned to Airili expectantly.

"Please announce me as Lady Airili Vitalia." The herald nodded, loudly and proudly announcing her as she strolled into the ball room. The room was very similar to the entrance of the palace, but without the massive, marble staircase. The ceilings were arched and covered in layers upon layers of gold crowning. This chandelier was not as extravagant as the one in the entrance, but no less beautiful. The walls were a lovely, sky blue to contrast the gold trim that covered a great deal of the ceiling as well as the walls. The room was filled with what must have been at least three hundred people, all wearing masks. One side of the room was filled with tables with elegant, gold vases, filled to the brim with lovely flower arrangements. And the other side lacked tables and was obviously intended for dancing. A grand piano stood at the edge of the ballroom floor, looking proud and yet forgotten.

"I've got to talk to Bertrand for a sec. You'll be okay on your own, right? Just mingle."

"Mingle... right..." Airili murmured, looking around the room for any sign of people she was at least familiar with. "I can do that." Drake was easy to spot since he was standing alone, lacking a mask in a crowd of masked faces and in his usual ensemble and it was easy to pick out Hana since she recognized her dress. Drake was scowling so Airili decided to approach Hana instead.

"Hello again. I'm glad to see you made it!" Hana greeted with a smile.

"Thanks." Airili said, taking in the view of the ball.

"So, this is the Masquerade! What do you think of it?"

"The Masquerade is wonderful!"

"I can tell you're going to enjoy yourself here! To be honest, it's very refreshing to be around someone so excited."

"Fancy galas are just second nature to you?"

"When you're gone to as many as I have, they can lose their charm... unless, of course, you find the right companions!" Hana paused and gently touched Airili's shoulder. "Please excuse me, there's someone I need to greet..." she said with a frown. "But maybe we can talk later?" Airili nodded and Hana's smile returned. With only one familiar person available to talk to, Airili made her way over to Drake. Drake nodded and gave a stiff bow.

"Good evening, my lady."

"So you  _do_ have manners."

"...Airili?" Drake asked in shock. "Is that you?"

"Yeah. You didn't recognize me?"

"I... I was caught off-guard. You clean up well."

"Drake... was that actually a  _compliment?_ "

"Uh, no!" Drake muttered awkwardly before regaining his composure. "Looking the part doesn't mean you're going to be welcome here, you know."

"Well, you're as charming as ever." Airili frowned.

"Hah. Compared to most of the nobles here, I'm your best friend."

"Drake, everyone here's been perfectly nice." 

"Sure, to your face. You don't want to know what they're probably saying about you behind your back."

"How can you say that? Aren't the nobles  _your_ friends too?"

"I'm friends with Prince Thomas. I'm not here for the rest of them."

"What about Maxwell?" Airili smirked. "He's the one sponsoring me."

"Look, you don't know him like I do. You don't know any of them like I do." Drake's scowl returned to his face. A lady with bright, red hair, a purple feathered mask, and a elegantly beaded, purple and red dress walked up to them with a smirk. The dress was going for a similar tease as the one Airili was donned in, although this woman's revealing lace wrapped around her torso, dipped at her left hip, and then the dress split there to reveal her leg. She was wearing a pair of red, round-toe pumps.

"Ahem!" the women glared her throat, grabbing Airili's arm and tugging her away from Drake. "Pardon me, but I absolutely must steal her away."

"Hey!"

"Forgive me for being forward, but I've never seen  _you_ here before. I always notice when the herald announce a new name. I make it a  _point_ to know all of the ladies at court. I'm Lady Olivia Vanderwall Nevrakis, Duchess of Lythikos. Lady Airili Vitalia... I can't say I'm familiar with your house. It must be nouveau. Well, seeing as you're the new girl at court, let me give you some advice. When you're presented to the King, you should kiss his shoe when you curtsy to him."

"Really?" Airili asked, aghast. She couldn't really bring herself to believe that what Olivia was telling her was true, mostly because Maxwell would've told her of something like this. Hopefully.

"It's Cordonian custom to show deep respect and reverence for the monarchy. You're so lucky that I was here to warn you! Otherwise, you'd look completely ridiculous."

"Thanks..." Airili said reluctantly, feeling like there was a bigger chance of her looking ridiculous by kissing the King's shoe, rather than not. Maxwell suddenly appeared at her side.

"Prince Thomas is here! Ready to see him again?" he asked quietly so that only Airili could hear. She glanced around the crowded ballroom and spotted him easily since he wasn't wearing a mask. He was dressed regally, smiling politely to the guests he was greeting. God, she wished she could just walk up and talk to him.

"Do you think he'll be glad to see me?"

"Only one way to find out... Go talk to him."


	3. Reunited

The world seemed to stop. It was one thing to travel halfway across the world to a foreign country in the name of something that could vaguely be considered love at first sight, but to actually see Thomas made it all real. Airili was in Cordonia, competing with nearly fifty noble women for the chance to marry a man she hardly knew. And yet, she didn't regret a single decision she had made since she had arrived. She might not have known Thomas very well, but she did know he was a good person, and she did know that she wanted to know him better. 

He looked incredibly handsome, donned in black tuxedo with a white bow tie, red sash, a simple red mask with gold trim, and covered in several medals she could only guess what were for. Besides the word handsome, sexy, and dreamy, the only description that could come to mind was princely. No one looked like they belonged here more than Thomas did. He was in his element, blissfully ignorant of the fact she was there, looking at him with trembling knees and a racing heart. She knew Thomas was a prince, and yet the reality of that statement was just hitting her now.

Beside Thomas was a man more notable to anyone who was actually Cordonian: the king. He probably would've been considered handsome in his day, and Airili supposed he could be considered handsome now, but it was incredibly difficult to make that conclusion with the prince standing three feet to his right. He was dressed in a royal blue military coat, complete with gold buttons trailing down both sides of his chest, yellow epaulettes and colar, a red sash, a royal blue mask with gold trim, and a medal much like the one hanging off Thomas' neck, but instead pinned to the left side of his chest.

"I guess this is it..." Airili said, getting into the long line of nobles waiting to greet the king and prince with Maxwell. "I'm going to talk to him..." She felt like a starstruck little kid, in shock with the possibility of meeting someone she looked up to and admired. Thomas was exactly both of those to her, and though his princely title had nothing to do with that fact, she couldn't help but wonder if Drake's assumptions of her were at least a little true. She didn't want to be a gold-digger or a power player, and yet, she couldn't help but wonder if that's how every noble at court would see her. She was, after all, just a waitress from New York who had miraculously gotten sponsored by the nobleman standing next to her.

Hours seemed to pass as they moved forward in the line. Airili felt like she was losing her nerve, but whenever she looked at Thomas, she couldn't help but feel brave again. Even if Thomas wasn't happy to see her, if he was but he had decided they would be better off as friends, she had made somewhat of a promise to him. She said she wanted to live each day to the fullest and she couldn't think of a better way to do that than to be at Cordonian Court during the social season. 

"Great. Looks like they're ready for you." Maxwell observed as the nobles ahead of them stepped forward to great the monarchs. He turned to Airili and leaned in close to talk to her quietly. "Now, I'm going to present you to King Constantine first. You'll want to make a good first impression on him, so he'll consider you a worthy match for his son. Then you'll get your big chance to talk to Thomas." 

"Okay, I've got it." Airili murmured, nodding her understanding as she glanced forward. Maxwell guided her to the king. It wasn't until she had gotten close that she realised he was seated on a raised dais, comfortably positioned somewhere between sitting up straight and sprawling his legs out over the dais in a pose that could only be described as incredibly confident. Though, Airili realised that was a required trait of a ruler.

"Your Royal Highness, may I present Lady Airili Vitalia?" Maxwell greeted, giving a flourished bow.

"Of course..." King Constantine replied, his gaze falling upon Airili expectantly. Airili thought quickly about what to do. It was easy to recall the advice that Lady Olivia had offered her earlier that evening, and she had know proof that it wasn't actually customary to kiss the Cordonian King's shoe. After all, it was stretched out over the dais as if to make it more accessible.

She wanted desperately to impress him. After all, having a father-in-law that was royal, hated your guts, and thought you were a bumbling idiot didn't sound very appealing. Still, she thought back over the many nobles that had been in front of the king before her and could recall none of them bending over and kissing his shoe. And Maxwell didn't look like he was about to either. Airili dipped into a low curtsy.

"Your Highness." she greeted, before gracefully returning to a standing position. It was certainly a good thing that she worked well under pressure.

"It's a pleasure to meet the suitor Lord Maxwell's house has chosen. I hope you enjoy your time in Cordonia." King Constantine said with a thoughtful smile. 

"Thank you." Airili replied, giving a quick curtsy alongside another bow from Maxwell before he guided her away into another line of ladies waiting to greet the Prince. " _Lord_ Maxwell, huh?"

"That's my title." Maxwell said with a bashful smile. "You could refer to me as 'His Lordship' from now on if you really want."

"Eh, I like you better as a Maxwell." Airili confessed with a small chuckle and they fell into a comfortable silence as they looked around the grand ballroom at masked figures dancing on the ballroom floors to pass the time.

"Now, look sharp." Maxwell said finally, gently nudging Airili's waist with his elbow. Airili's spine immediately straightened and she saw she was only one lady away from meeting Thomas. What now felt like an eternity passed in only the span of a minute, maybe less as the lady curtsied and made her way away from the Prince. He had a radiant, albeit painted smile on his face. "Here's your big moment! Don't blow it."

"I won't." She assured before he left her to attend to his cravings at the buffet. Airili took a deep breath and stepped forward, alone and incredibly nervous about how Thomas would receive her. He was incredibly polite, so even if he wasn't happy to see her, she doubted he would say it.

"Hello." Thomas greeted with his usual, reserved expression. "You'll have to forgive me, but I don't think we've met..." 

"Oh?" Airili asked, a smirk breaking onto her face as she realized he didn't recognize her. It wasn't at all surprising seeing as she was wearing a mask and Cordonia was probably the last place in the world Thomas would expect to find her. She had the element of surprise and she was going to have her fun. "We've actually met once before."

"Surely I would've remembered." Thomas exclaimed with a shocked expression. She could tell he felt terrible for not remembering who she was, or perhaps more aghast that there was someone at court who he'd met but didn't remember.

"I suppose this mask is doing its job." Airili mused with a chuckle. 

"Will you give me a hint?" he asked, fighting the habit he had of biting his lip. It wasn't a very princely habit and his father had reminded him not to do it this evening. Airili thought for a moment, considering what clue to give him.

"You were surrounded by your men..." She revealed, knowing that wouldn't be enough to give away her identity, but she was stalling her inevitable reveal and it meant she could talk to him just a little longer. It was almost like meeting him all over again.

"That's not much of a clue." he mused with a slightly sad expression. He really did feel bad for not remembering her. Usually he was so good with faces and names. Airili smiled, hoping it would be a contagious one that would spread to the Prince's lips as well.

"And you owed me a drink." she added, knowing that he would work out who she was immediately with that comment. Hopefully.

"Airili..." Thomas was shocked by the revelation but it took only a moment before a smile bloomed across his face, one more genuine than the ones he had given the ladies prior to her. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"So... this is a good surprise, I hope?" she asked, feeling nervous once again. She had to keep herself from bouncing from one foot to the other with her anxiety at his answer.

"The best." he assured, grinning brightly. His expression faded for a moment as his mind posed a question. "But how did you get here?" They both knew she didn't have the most money in the world and a trip to Cordonia, plus the expensive dress and mask that costed about five nights of tip money, assuming they were excruciatingly great nights were not exactly in her budget.

"Maxwell and his brother are sponsoring me." Airili explained, watching his expressions to see how he would take the news. "He brought me here to join the other suitors."

"Really?" Shock covered features and for a moment it looked like he might fall over if nudged slightly. "That's amazing! I can't believe you came all this way for me."

"Thomas..." she murmured, realizing that he hadn't expected to mean that much to her. She took a step closer, as if that was something intimate, and in this environment, it felt that way. "I know we have something special. I want to see what it can be."

"I feel the same way." Thomas said with a sweet-honey grin. He reached out to take Airili's hand but as his gloved fingers made contact with hers a man that Airili had been completely oblivious to before now cleared his throat and he retracted his hand slowly, looking like he was about to sigh but not actually giving in to the desire to do so. 

Airili came to the realization that the man was Thomas' bodyguard and quite possibly his handler for the evening as well. He was black shirt but the vest, jacket, and tie he was wearing were grey. His hair was well maintained and his mouth was surrounded by well-groomed facial hair. A wire that went from inside his jacket to his ear assured her completely that her assessment was right. Thomas' features filled with regret.

"We're not in New York anymore, though, Airili. The rules here are different." What looked to be anguish faded into something more unreadable. "This entire series of events is set up not just to give me time with my potential matches, but also to give my parents, the Council, and the people of Cordonia time to get to know the future queen." he paused, making sure she caught his eye to understand the gravity of his next statement. "From now on, everyone will be watching you."

"That sounds..." Airili paused, as if trying to come up with the next word. This was a challenge, perhaps the most serious challenge she'd ever face in her life, but looking into Thomas' eyes, seeing the hope flickering there that he was trying so desperately to hide, she knew that she'd regret it if she backed out. "Fun!"

"I knew you'd be up for the challenge." Thomas smiled, though this one was a little reluctant, as if he was still afraid to get his hopes up. He seemed to consider her for a moment before the smile moved to his eyes and his face donned its usual expression. "I'm sure you'll charm them just as you've charmed me." A frown appeared on his face as he glanced just over her shoulder. "Unfortunately, the receiving line isn't the best place to talk. We only have a few more minutes before the next lady arrives..."

"In that case, I want to know..." Airili thought for a moment, looked into his eyes and knew exactly what to ask. "How are you holding up?" This event had been stressful enough for her but she couldn't imagine what Thomas was going through, what with dozens of ladies flaunting themself at him in hopes of gaining his affections and most probably with the intention of winning the crown. Thomas looked surprised again and Airili couldn't help but smirk at how easily she continued to surprise him.

"At a time like this, you're asking about me?" He bit the inside of his lip to keep from beaming a smile that would blind the entirety of the Cordonian court. "That means a lot to me, really. This whole thing... It's a lot of pressure, but I knew what I was getting into. The princes of Cordonia can only have so much say over who they marry, and I understand why. It doesn't make it easier, but it's what I was raised for."

A noble lady inched her way forward and Thomas had to hide the disappointment he felt as his time talking with Airili drew incredibly closer to its end.

"Sorry, our time is up." he murmured, and no matter how hard he tried to contain his disappointment, he couldn't.

"I understand." Airili assured, glancing behind her shoulder and then back up to Thomas. "We really  _aren't_ in New York anymore, are we?"

"No. I hope I'll see you again later tonight, if you'll save a dance for me." Thomas still looked disappointed to have Airili leave his company but hope was evident in his eyes as he begged her for a dance. Airili gave a curt nod before curtsying and leaving Thomas to deal with the throes of woman lined up to greet him. Maxwell appeared next to her and matched her pace.

"Thomas looked  _really_ happy to see you." Maxwell observed after he finished chewing whatever he had grabbed from the buffet.

"Yeah, but is that going to be enough? I also have to impress the royal court and the people of Cordonia..." Airili pointed out, the gravity of it all hitting her with the force of a speeding freight train.

"Don't worry. You'll have plenty of time for that." Maxwell assured, patting her back. "And my brother, Bertrand, and I will be there to help you every step of the way. Remember, we want you to win this thing." he smiled, nudging her with his shoulder playfully in hopes of cheering her up.

"Right." was her only response. 

"For now, it'd be a good start to get to know the other courtly ladies." Maxwell suggested. "They're your competition, but you might be able to make some of them your allies. Bertrand and I are helpful, but the more people you can get on your side the better." 

"I'm on it." Airili agreed, giving him a small wave before glancing out at a beautiful patio that led to the gardens behind the palace. There were plenty of ladies out there and she could most certainly use the fresh air. She also recognized Hana's dress, as well as the countenance of Lady Olivia. They were all getting drinks from an ornately decorated table display, though Airili couldn't be in less of a mood to drink.

"Airili, you were awfully familiar with the Prince." Olivia observed with a scowl. "You didn't say that you knew him."

"Olivia..." she thought for a moment about how to respond but decided to answer the observation posed to her. "I've met the Prince once before."

"I can't imagine when a girl like you would've met the Prince." Olivia mused, still frowning.

"Let's just say it was once upon a time." Airili said smoothly, looking out over the impressive gardens that spanned as far as she could see in the moonlight.

"Sounds like you're hiding something." Olivia growled, resting her hand on her hip in an irritated way. "I don't like secrets. And I don't like  _you._ Listen, you should know that whatever happened between you and Thomas, you don't really have a chance with him. You might've been able to capture his attention when it was just the two of you, but you can't keep up with the ladies here. We're from the finest families in Europe, and we've been training and preparing our whole lives to marry a prince. You can't just waltz in here at the last minute and steal him away from us. Kiara here is the daughter of a diplomat and is fluent in ten languages..."

Olivia gestured to an ebony beauty in a simple but elegant black ball gown that made her skin look much lighter in comparison. Her hair was straight and matched the shade of her black dress almost perfectly. She had a friendly face from what Airili could see of it under a simple, black-laced mask that matched the beautiful lace that covered her chest.

"Le Prince va tomber amoureux de moi." Kiara said with a smile. It was nice to see her so confident that she would win Thomas' heart. Though, looking at her, Airili came to the realization that she had no way to know what his type was or whether he was even searching for a physical type when what he needed most was a woman worthy of the title 'queen.'

"Penelope can track her lineage back through six hundred years of royalty." Oliva continued, gesturing to a woman that appeared to contrast Kiara in every way. She was a gentle looking but shy woman with light grey eyes that stood out intensely from under her simple, dark blue mask. She wore her black hair in an elegant bun and the straps of her blue dress crossed her chest in an intricate design and flourished out with a mermaid skirt.

"It's an honor to represent my people here." she said politely. She seemed slightly uncomfortable with being put on the spot by Olivia but she stood up to the challenge anyways.

"Even Hana's been training to learn the courtly graces of conversation and seduction." Oliva smirked, nodding at Hana as if her hands were too good to give Hana a proper gesture.

"Uh, thanks?" Hana asked, a little shocked by the wording Olivia had chosen for her. In comparison to how she had introduced the other ladies, it was obvious that Olivia didn't like Hana much.

"But if anyone's got the inside track with Prince Thomas, it's you, Olivia. You've known him his entire life." Penelope spoke, obviously trying to stroke Olivia's palace-sized ego.

"It's true. We grew up at the palace together as childhood friends..." Olivia paused to look at Airili to see what effect her words had on her. Airili remained impassive but engaged in the conversation. Being a waitress had more than prepared her to deal with people like Olivia. She was not going to give her any satisfaction. "Before his older brother abdicated, it was just assumed Thomas and I would be married one day. I've got no intention of losing him to one of you harpies." she paused as if considering what she had said with mild interest. "No offense."

"Wait a second, I can't believe the rest of you let Olivia talk like this." Airili murmured, looking at the masked ladies that were gathered in this heated conversation. These were all noble ladies who should've been to proud to be insulted but here they were, taking it.

"She's only stating the facts. There's no point in being emotional about it." Penelope reasoned, taking a dainty sip of her champaign. 

"We all knew what we were getting ourselves into when we came here, Airili." Kiara agreed, giving Airili an intense stare. "Didn't you?"

"Don't worry, ladies." Olivia said with a wicked smile. "I'm sure little Airili will learn her place here, eventually." And the nasty scowl she had been greeted with before reemerged. "Or else I'll make her life a living hell."

"And what, exactly, do you think my  _place_ is here?" Airili asked with a cold but calculated frown.

"Oh, somewhere below Penelope and Kiara, but you know what? Probably above Hana." Olivia answered with a smile. "Though I'm surprised Hana's here at all after what I heard about her last attempt at an engagement."

" _Olivia!_ " Hana exclaimed desperately, the statement obviously had struck a nerve.

"Well, we all know that your family will throw you at any available bachelor as long as it means you can climb another rung on the social ladder..." A devilish smirk appeared on her lips. "But, honestly, it's a bit much to expect that Prince Thomas is going to accept 'damaged goods.'" 

Hana's face turned bright red and Airili couldn't be sure if it was from embarrassment or from anger. Airili felt bad. No one deserved this onslaught of insults that Olivia was generously handing out.

"I... I need to..." Hana's head hung and she looked defeated as she slowly turned away with the intention of heading back into the palace. " _Excuse me._ " Airili's hand gently reached for Hana's wrist as she moved swiftly to go inside.

"Hana, wait..." Airili murmured softly, frowning in sympathy. "I'll go with you."

"That's awfully sweet, but..." Hana glanced over at the other ladies again before looking at the elegant tiles below them. "I'll... I'll be fine." She shook her head and made her way through the doors to the palace. Airili let her go, turning to look at Olivia defiantly.

"Girls like her shouldn't bother being here if they can't handle the truth..." Olivia frowned, defending her actions.

"Olivia..." Airili thought about calling her a bitch, but given the fact that she needed to leave a good impression with the ladies at the court as well as the people of Cordonia, she thought better of it. That being said, she was going to leave a massive bruise on Olivia's more massive ego. "You're acting like a child, not a queen. If this is how you behave, I wouldn't trust you with childproof scissors, let alone a kingdom."

"I..." Olivia looked shocked by the insult that was tactfully flung at her. "You can't..." 

"I just did." Airili said with a small, but dignified scowl, turning on heel and heading towards the doors. "If you'll excuse me... I'm going after Hana." She rushed back inside and spotted Hana dashing down the hall into a room. The door hadn't been closed correctly and Airili stepped in and gently shut the door behind her, saddened by the sight of Hana crying on her bed.

"Airili, what are you doing here?" Hana asked in surprise, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hands.

"I wanted to make sure you're okay." she replied, looking at the lady with a soft expression.

"That's..." Hana's expression changed from surprise to a more tender one. "That's so kind of you. Thank you."

"It was the least I could do." Airili assured, stepping closer to Hana but not moving to make herself comfortable unless Hana mentioned it.

"I know I shouldn't let Olivia bother me." Hana said with a frown, staying down at her hands in her lap. "You probably think I'm making a fool of myself."

"I think you're being perfectly sensible." Airili soothed, crouching so she could be eye level with Hana.

"Really?"

"Yes. You've every right to get upset." she promised, frowning slightly as she recalled all the nasty insults Olivia had thrown their way.

"The real problem is... Olivia is right." Hana frowned, biting her lip to prevent more tears from escaping her. "Last year, my parents arranged a very advantageous match for me. But only a few weeks before the wedding, the groom pulled out of the arrangement. It was handled quietly, but it was still regarded as rather scandalous. Since then, my parents have been desperate for me to find another match. They've all but thrown me into this competition. I thought Cordonia was far away enough that I could escape my past... But it looks like the rumors have followed me here."

"Hana..." Airili wasn't sure how to make he feel like she wasn't a complete failure but she knew that was a goal she wanted to achieve when Hana explained her situation. "A broken engagement is nothing to be ashamed of."

"It's not?" Hana asked in surprise.

"In the real world, stuff like that happens all the time." Airili assured, shifting to stand again. "Sometimes things just don't work out. It doesn't mean anything's wrong with you. At the heart of it, I think we both know why Olivia singled you out."

"Why?" 

"Olivia bullies you because you're her biggest threat." Airili murmured. The words saddened her slightly. Olivia was right though, the likelihood of her winning this competition seemed... hopeless. Even if Thomas was glad to see her, that didn't mean that anyone in Cordonia would see a foreign waitress as good candidate for Queen. Hana was a way better choice in that regard, at least politically. She also seemed to be a much kinder lady than Olivia which was all the more reason to bet on her. "Look at yourself! You're gorgeous, well-composed, compassionate, articulate... All of the things that Olivia  _isn't._ "

"I don't know, she  _is_ kind of gorgeous." Hana frowned. Hana was well-familiar with how stunning Olivia looked without her mask.

"Okay, maybe I'll give her that one, but you're clearly a front-runner for the Prince's choice." Airili reasoned, knowing Thomas was angelic enough to look past Hana's engagement. It probably wouldn't even phase him. "It's no wonder Olivia's threatened by you."

"But you're not." Hana observed, eyes narrowing as she tried to figure Airili out. 

"I'm not like Olivia." Airili said confidently. She couldn't begin to guess whether Thomas would actually consider her a viable choice for him, but if there was one thing that Airili could say happily while overflowing with pride, it was that she was not like Olivia.

"Well, Airili, I see that I've found myself in your debt already." Hana said, the first genuine smile since Olivia had fouled the evening appearing on her lips.

"It's not a big deal." she assured, smiling a little as well.

"On the contrary, your words have spoken volumes about your character. I won't forget this..." She wiped her face once more, trying on a smile that she could present to the public. "I must look a mess..."

"Hana... Nothing a quick touch-up won't fix." Airili promised, helping Hana to her feet so they could make her presentable again. Hana went to her vanity mirror with a nod, dabbing her eyes with a cloth before reapplying her make-up.

"There." Hana said with a smile, turning to look at Airili. "Much better."

"Ready to go back?" Airili asked, returning the smile. 

"Yes." Hana nodded, walking to the door and then leaving her room with Airili. 

When they returned to the ballroom, a few measures of a waltz started to ring out above the crowd. Maxwell bounded over to Airili, looking rather surprised.

"Airili, there you are!" he exclaimed, grabbing her hand. "The last dance is starting up, and I think you and Thomas deserve this one..." Maxwell pointed in the direction of the edge of the dance floor where Thomas was talking to Penelope.

"...and of course,  _you're_ looking dashing tonight..." she managed to read on the noblewoman's lips.

"It might be a little rude to cut in, but--"

"Say no more..." Airili smiled, giving Maxwell's hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know what to do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading my little passion project. I really appreciate it. If you like my writing style, you can find me on tumblr or keep tabs of me on my website. I have a survey that you can vote on which work I have planned that I will do next.  
> Kudos and comments are always greatly appreciated.  
> https://jeanneriddle.weebly.com/  
> https://jeanneriddleq.tumblr.com/


	4. Save the Last Dance

Even though she had spoken with him earlier that evening, and the evening before that too, her heart was racing as Airili made her approach to Thomas. Her mind was flitting through dozens of ways to interrupt their conversation without being ruder than it already was to do such a thing. As she approached Penelope and Thomas, she caught on to the last of Penelope's current topic.

"...And that's how my family acquired its fifth golden poodle statue..." Penelope said with a big grin. Airili couldn't help but smile at Penelope's enthusiasm.

"I can relate." Thomas admitted with a polite smile. "Don't get me started on the queen's antique goblet collection..." the prince trailed off as he caught sight of Airili approaching, his eyes lighting up as she slowed to a stop three feet away.

"Excuse me..." Airili murmured, smiling politely in Penelope's direction. Though she wasn't particularly happy with the evening's earlier showdown with Olivia and company, Airili was fairly sure that at least Penelope had acted the way she had because she was more familiar with Olivia and not sure what to think of the American commoner that had waltz into Cordonia and contention with the Prince. "May I cut in?"

"If you must..." Penelope agreed sadly, face morphing into a small and dignified pout.

"I must." Airili replied in a polite tone that still managed to bear no argument. Penelope looked like she was about to sigh but she didn't, only reluctantly turning, searching the crowd and then giving Thomas a small curtsy as she left to wander the ballroom in search of someone else to converse with. Thomas angled his body towards Airili with an incredibly subtle smirk just visible on his lips.

"You handled that very well..." Thomas observed proudly.

"I try." 

"You do more than that." Thomas defended her, shifting a few inches closer to her. "Honestly, you seem as comfortable here as you did back in New York." he said his observation with awe, as if her ability to morph to fit any situation astounded him.

"Shall we dance?" Airili asked with a grin. The orchestra was merrily playing a waltz that brought to Airili's mind the image of strolling across clouds and Thomas rather contently took her hand and guided her to the dance floor. "I don't..." Airili hesitated as Thomas rested his other hand on her waist. "I'm not sure I know the steps..."

"Just follow my lead." Thomas assured her, smiling in slight amusement at her honesty about the situation. He guided her hand that he wasn't holding to his shoulder and replaced his own hand on her waist, quietly counting for her benefit.

"You're an amazing dancer." Airili was in awe over Thomas' skill on the subject. He lead her around the floor effortlessly and he had almost convinced her that she knew the dance for as long as he did, that was if she didn't know better. She had matched his movements perfectly though he had been incredibly patient as she learned.

"My parents would be thrilled to hear that all those years of dance lessons paid off." Thomas mused with a grin and Airili chuckled. Thomas' expression sobered only slightly, though the gleam of happiness never left his eyes. "I'm very glad that I got a moment alone with you, Airili."

"Well... relatively alone." Airili smirked and Thomas nodded his defeat at her observation. "There's only about a hundred people watching us right now."

"Unfortunately, it's about as much privacy as we might expect..." Thomas admitted sadly but a moment later the excited light she had seen when she had suggested the Statue of Liberty the night before appeared in his dark brown eyes again. "Though I do have a trick up my sleeve..."

Skillfully, Thomas guided her through the ballroom and out a set of French doors to unoccupied balcony that overlooked the maze that covered the right half of the front courtyard.

"We can get a little more privacy out here at least." Thomas said contently, still dancing her around the balcony. Airili looked at the view but back to Thomas with a smirk.

"Nice moves."

"I try." Thomas chuckled, growing serious again. He rested his hand on her shoulder. "Now, I want to know how you are. I trust you're being well taken care of here?"

"Maxwell's been very sweet so far." Airili answered, leaning out over the balcony and actually taking in the view. "He flew me out here and set me up with a room and everything. I haven't met his brother yet."

"Ah, the Duke..." Thomas joined her, looking out over the maze as well. "He's... different from Maxwell. More serious. But their house has an excellent reputation, mostly due to him."

"I see..." Airili said thoughtfully.

"What about Cordonia? What do you think of my home so far?" Thomas asked, scooting just a little closer to her.

"Cordonia?" She hummed in thought. "I'd like it better if I had more time with you." It was true. She had been in Cordonia about eight hours and she had hardly seen Thomas for ten minutes. Thomas let out a laugh, smiling softly.

"I'll have to see what I can do about that." he mused, scooting close enough to brush her shoulder with his own.

"Good." Airili smiled, leaning against him ever so slightly.

"It's good that you're not homesick. If you were to become queen..." Thomas paused, catching her eye for a moment before looking away. "well, you'd be spending most of your time here in Cordonia."

"Oh, right..." Airili hadn't even considered that. It was a little too early to decide if she was in over her head or not. She wouldn't really be leaving anything much behind in New York but it was a little daunting to consider abandoning her home country to become a queen of a very different one. "I guess that's a pretty important quality in a queen-to-be..."

"Especially given Cordonia's recent history..." Thomas sighed softly, frowning. 

"What do you mean?" Airili asked, frowning as well. Thomas considered how to proceed in the topic he had opened up.

"These last few decades have been somewhat rocky for us..." Thomas started, gently tapping the railing with the tips of his fingers. "The first queen abandoned my father and my older half-brother... I'm not clear on the exact details, but..."

"Do you know why she left at least?" Thomas was quiet for a moment, as if not sure whether or not he wanted to talk about it now, as if he was afraid he was going to scare her away and make he realize that she didn't want him.

"She couldn't handle the pressures of courtly life." he said finally, fiddling with his thumbs. "She came from a lesser noble family, so she hadn't been long at court before the marriage... And my own mother passed away when I was still a child..."

"You lost your mother?" Airili asked with a frown. She had been far too young to remember her own mother but something told her that Thomas had more memories of his than she did of hers. "I'm so sorry."

"It was a long time ago." Thomas said with a slightly woeful expression. Airili felt like she should try to navigate the conversation away from this sad topic.

"And so the current queen...?"

"She may not be my mother, but she is a wonderful woman who's done her best to lead Cordonia alongside my father." Thomas answered, relieved at the slight subject change. "Instability in the monarchy is always dangerous for a small kingdom like ours. Weakened currency, a rise in crime, a drop in tourism... all because of the lives of the rulers."

"So that's why you care so much about finding the right queen." Airili said in realization. Thomas nodding his confirmation.

"Exactly. I can't just follow my heart..." Thomas said, looking at Airili with a regretful expression. "as much as I might want to. There's too many other people I need to think about... Sorry. I didn't mean to burden you with this." Thomas apologized, blushing a little in embarrassment. Airili thought he looked a lot more laid back now that he had gotten everything off his chest, well, as laid back as she had ever seen him. 

"Thomas..." She caught his eye. "You can tell me anything. I'm here for you. You've got a lot resting on your shoulders."

"True, but I can at least take a moment to sprinkle in tales of my misspent youth..." he suggested with a smirk.

"I wouldn't mind hearing those either." Airili admitted with a matching smirk. Thomas thought for a moment, flitting through dozens of childhood memories.

"One summer when I was only eight, my father decided to throw me into the rigors of governing. He made me sit through hours of meetings for three weeks straight. Finally, I couldn't take another minute. I decided to liberate myself..."

"Wait,  _you_ played hooky?" Airili asked in shock. From what she had learned about Thomas, he didn't really seem the type to ditch his father's lessons, but she supposed that if she was eight and forced to sit quietly through hours of diplomacy, she'd probably play hooky too.

"Yeah. Drake and I stole a monster supply of chocolate from the kitchens, and we hid out in the gardens." Thomas gestured to the maze in front of them. "We spent the evening making up games to play in the garden maze... Our best on was maze-tag. You can see the entrance to the maze over there, by the hedges..."

"'Maze-tag'?" Airili questioned, smirking. "Let me guess. You played tag in the maze?" Thomas chuckled.

"You've got it. Not our most cleverly named game, but whoever was 'it' had to run after the other person in the maze. You lost if you were 'it' by the time the other person got to the center. We played that for hours, until we nearly collapsed from exhaustion. But we were too stubborn to go back. We used the last of our strength to climb up the tree in the center of the hedge maze and vowed to live out there. We fell asleep in that tree, and I only woke up when I fell off the branch and landed flat on my back, swearing up a storm." He paused and looked at her playfully. "I hope this doesn't destroy your image of me as a proper prince..."

"What surprises me most is that you know any swear words." Airili teased, grinning. "You're always so proper."

"Maybe in front of you..." Thomas mused.

"Well, I want to meet the Thomas who plays hooky and sleeps in trees..."

"I miss those carefree summers." Thomas admitted, straightening up and taking her hand. "But I'm afraid those days are behind me."

He resumed the waltz and guided her inside the ballroom again as if they had never left in the first place. Once they were completely returned to the center of the dance floor, Thomas pulled Airili close, his movements slowing as the music began to die down.

"This song is coming to an end, and the masquerade with it." Thomas said, looking just a little disappointed. "We'll have to say good night soon..."

"Is this how it's going to be for the next few months? Stealing a couple minutes here and there?" Airili asked, frowning a little. It felt like it was going to be a hard relationship to maintain, especially when there was more than just her in contention for his heart. About fifty girls were trying to catch Thomas' eye and he was too polite to ignore even the ones he wasn't considering.

"As I said, things are different here..." Thomas also frowned, regret filling his eyes. "I should spend some time with the other girls to be fair to them. But believe me when I say I wish this night didn't have to end." That phrase gave her an idea and the disappointment she felt in not being able to spend more time with Thomas lessened some as she smirked.

"Who says it has to?"

"Uh-oh." Thomas grinned brightly. "The last time you got that gleam in your eye, we ended up on a boat to the Statue of Liberty..." she raised an eyebrow.

"Do you regret it?"

"Never." he assured, giving her hand a light squeeze to affirm his statement. "What are you proposing?"

"Would you like to meet me at the garden maze?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes to further play on the innocent face she was putting on.

"Yes..." Thomas admitted hesitantly, looking like he was willing himself to not move closer to her, "but my bodyguards would never allow me to go out there alone."

"You wouldn't be alone." Airili smirked again, chuckling mischievously. "I'll be there."

"They'd probably like that even less." Thomas mused, her chuckle contagious and spreading to him. "We shouldn't..."

"Then why are you smiling?" her own grin still present as well.

"Because we both know how much I  _want_ to."

"In that case..." Airili leaned close to whisper in his ear. "I'll be out there in twenty minutes. I hope I won't be alone."

"Airili..." Thomas looked so surprised, but a light blush that dusted the edges of his ears spoke measures in his excitement at the idea.

"Yes?" she smirked, unable to stop herself from being amused at how he acted. 

The music came to an end and Airili felt that the end of the conversation had happened with it, the crowd politely applauding around them. She was turning to walk away, figuring she would chance it and hope he came, but Thomas had a slightly different idea, he pulled her towards him in a spin until she was pressed against his chest, his face only inches away from hers and drawing nearer as he bent down with a bright smile.

"I'll see you in twenty." he whispered, and with that they parted. He bowed politely and she curtsied.

Thomas made his way next to his father's side while he gave a speech to once again thank all of the eligible ladies for attending the first event of the social season. As soon as the speech was over, nobles started filing out of the ballroom and back to their rooms in the palace, preparing to call it a night. Airili lagged behind, sneaking out the front door and to the fountain in front of the gate to the maze. Even though she was still in her sleeveless dress, she didn't feel cold. The weather was pleasantly warm, unlike in New York at this time of night. She waited patiently, taking time to look around at all of the plants that surrounded her. She wasn't worried about being stood up. After all, Thomas had said he would be there.

As time passed, reason started to kick in some. He was crown prince of Cordonia. How likely was it that he'd actually be able to escape his staff and spend just a little extra time with her? She soon had her answer as he came half jogging up to her with a big grin on his face.

"Cutting it a little close there..." she teased, happy to see him nonetheless.

"I was trapped in a conversation about table seating for tomorrow's picnic, but I managed to tear myself away for you..." he explained, staring down at her unabashed now that no one was watching. "Shall we?" he offered his arm and she took it with a small nod of thanks, following his lead to the maze garden.

"It really is beautiful here at night." she mused, looking up at the stars. Despite all her time waiting, she hadn't looked up and noticed them, she had been to engrossed with the garden to notice. But Thomas was exceptionally skilled at making her look up since he was half a head taller. 

"I wish I could take the credit, but the gardens out here were my mother's vision..." he explained, resting his hand tentatively on the one she had wrapped around his arm. His expression clouded in gloom once again. "I think it was her last wish before... well. Sometimes when I stroll this garden at night, I think of her..." he looked up towards the heavens, looking quite a lot like a lost child, and Airili could tell that even though he was incredibly mature, in some ways, he was just that: a lost child, looking for his mother.

"I'm sure she appreciates that." she assured, giving his arm a supportive squeeze.

"Thanks." his expression cleared a bit and he looked at her a lot. "The garden holds a lot of good memories as well."

"This is where you and Drake played maze-tag growing up, right?" Airili asked, gesturing to the maze in front of them.

"Yeah." he affirmed, ears going light pink again. "You probably think it's silly, don't you?"

"Sounds like a lot of fun. In fact..." Airili's face lit up with a mischievous expression and she released Thomas' arm and tapped his shoulder before running off in the direction of the maze. "Tag! You're 'it,' Thomas!" she hollered over her shoulder, giggling. Thomas began giggling too, starting to chase after her as she sped off.

"Cheater!" Thomas accused through his giggles. He was making impressive ground on her, but his legs were also much longer than hers. She could hear him only a couple feet behind her. The maze entrance was still a good ten yards away if she was taking the path, but there was wet grass that she could chance if she wanted to continue the game and give herself a little more ground. She leapt onto the grass, bolting for the entrance and putting a bit more distance between them again.

"Ha!" She wove through the maze, noticing the lights that decorated the tree in the center. She made her way as quick as she could through the maze, making a lot of quick decisions to stay ahead and hopefully find the center and win the game despite her disadvantage of not being familiar with the maze. She rounded a corner and saw a straight path downhill to the tree and a swing that hung from it.

The tree was surrounded by dozens of rose bushes and covered in hundreds of lovely lights that made this all feel like a fairytale. She was taken aback by the beauty of it all but she was quickly pulled out of it when she heard Thomas' footsteps rapidly approaching behind her. Thinking quickly about what to do, she hid around the corner that she knew Thomas was about to come around. 

"I'm catching up!" he warned, no longer hearing her footsteps in front of him.

"Not so fast!" Thomas had not expected her voice to be so close, or for her to throw herself at him as he turned the corner, causing both of them to become unbalanced.

"Woah!" and with that they fell over, giggling uncontrollably as they tumbled down the hill and finally came to a stop in front of the tree swing. "We made it. The center of the maze..."

"...And I do believe I win." Airili announced with a cheeky grin.

"How do you figure that?" Thomas asked, panting through his own beaming smile.

"Easy. I'm on top." she reasoned, tapping on his chest lightly with her fingers as if to remind him of this fact.

"Hey, we don't know who tagged who at the end there..." Thomas pointed out, pouting slightly. "I want a second ruling."

"Well, we don't always get what we want..." Airili reminded, gently booping his nose. "even princes..." Thomas let out a hearty laugh, but as he looked at her his expression turned serious, as if he was trying to solve a puzzle.

"Something about you..." he tentatively reached up and brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "It just feels... right to be around you."

"Thomas..." Airili's breath caught as she was reminded of the evening before and how quickly they had grown close in New York. "I feel the same way."

"Airili..." the way he said her name sent chills up her spine, as if she was the only thing in his world at that moment. The hand that had brushed hair out of her face was now gently coming to rest on her cheek. She leaned into his touch, relishing the warmth his fingers provided. She felt like she needed to kiss him again to breathe. Slowly she leaned down, testing the waters, until her lips connected with his. Thomas kissed back slowly, his other hand resting on her waist and pulling her closer. He smiled into the kiss before shaking his head and pulling away, though he seemed hesitant to do so. His smile turned into a look of remorse. "We  _shouldn't_... I don't know what will happen, and I..."

"I know." Airili assured, pulling herself out of his embrace and sitting on the ground next to him.

"What is it about you, Airili?" she looked at him questioningly and he blushed. "When you're around, you make me want to break all the rules."

"Maybe you need someone like that in your life." she suggested, patting his hand supportively with a smile.

"Maybe I do." He agreed, smiling too. He looked around at the maze as if just realizing where he was. "This was... unexpected, but somehow perfect."

"You laughed more in this maze than you did all night in that Masquerade." Airili pointed out, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I guess I really needed this..." he agreed, turning to look at her. "Thank you."

"No problem. I had fun too." Her smile faded and she looked at him seriously. "Will I see you soon?"

"Yes, tomorrow. It'll be very busy, but I'll find the time..." he looked like he was making a promise to see her and it warmed her heart.

"I look forward to it." Airili smiled, and Thomas brought her hand to his lips.

"Until then." He smiled, stand up and helping her up too.

He left the maze first and Airili sat on the swing, waiting five minutes before deciding to return to her room. Already her heart swelled with the absence of Thomas. Just how hard had she fallen for him? With all the pretenses she had forgotten it, but whenever they had time alone together, she was hit with her feelings like a tidal wave. She longed for his smiles and laughs, and just brushing their shoulders together felt like a gift. But she always ended up wanting more.

When she was finally back in her room, she took off her dress and showered, getting dressed in a simple black tank top and a pair of white sweatpants. She was about to climb into bed when she heard a knock on the door. She headed to the door and answered it, not sure who she was expecting on the other side. 

"Maxwell! Hey!" she greeted her friend with a smile.

"I know it's late, but there's someone you should meet." Maxwell said as if he was about to introduce to her a puppy. He gestured to his right, stepping to the side. "Bertrand, this is the one I was telling you about... Airili!" again, he said it as if he was introducing a puppy. A stern man stepped into the room and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

Bertrand looked absolutely nothing like Maxwell, except for having the same light blue-grey eyes as him. He was much older and his hair a darker brown than Maxwell's. He wore a white button-up, buttoned all the way up with a tie, a sweater, and a suit jacket. He seemed cold and calculating. 

"This is the girl you've chosen to represent our house?" he asked in an even voice, not even bothering to look at his little brother as he stared her down.

"Yep! Nailed it, right?" Maxwell said with a grin. Airili, this is my older brother, Bertrand."

"It's nice to work meet you, Bertrand." she greeted politely.

"The proper way to address a duke is 'Your Grace.'" he responded disapprovingly.

"Oh!" Airili blushed in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Your Grace."

"At least it looks like you can be trained."

"Hey, I'm not your pet..." Airili glared at him, holding his stare.

"He doesn't mean it like that..." Maxwell assured, frowning at Bertrand.

"Hmph." Bertrand crossed his arms. "Maxwell, a word with you in private?" he grabbed Maxwell by the arm and hauled him out of the room. He slammed the door and Airili sighed softly, sitting down on her bed and waiting for the Beaumont brothers to come back in, ignorant of the conversation they were having outside except that it wasn't going to be nice and it was about her. " _That's_ the girl you picked to represent our family?"

"Yeah. That's Airili." Maxwell said with a grin. "Thomas really hit it off with her when they met at the restaurant for his bachelor party. She was our waitress."

"A  _waitress._ " Bertrand repeated, before shouting at his younger brother. "You brought a  _waitress_." I knew I shouldn't have trust you! We could've had our pick of any unsponsored duchess or countess in half of Europe."

"Well, sure, but like I said, she and Thomas have a lot of, you know,  _chemistry_." Maxwell defended with a frown. "I think he really likes her. I know you probably don't care, but she could make him really happy. Like I've-never-seen-him-so-happy kind of happy. Shouldn't Thomas have a shot at love like that, even if he  _is_ the Prince?"

"Spare me your sentimentality." Bertrand glared. "You'd better hope that this waitress doesn't ruin everything." Bertrand threw the door open and stomped his way over to Airili as she stood up. He cleared his throat, putting his hands behind his back. "Sorry to leave you alone, my dear, but I had some important matters to discuss with my brother. While Maxwell's been traipsing around with the Prince, I've been back here doing the  _real_ work of running our house and estate. And that, as it were, is where you come in."

"Oh." Airili was surprised. While she didn't hear the conversation, she couldn't imagine that Bertrand would actually accept her. "I do?"

"Perhaps Maxwell didn't fully explain this to your, but if your house puts forth the Prince's choice, we'll win fame and recognition..."

"Something we could really use right now actually, 'cause we're kind of broke." Maxwell confessed, frowning and flushing from embarrassment. 

"Maxwell. You overstep." Bertrand scolded with a glare at his brother.

"Sorry."

"You're broke?" Airili asked, a little surprised to hear that. "There's no shame in being broke. I've been broke  _plenty_ of times."

"Thanks, Airili." Maxwell appreciated her support, Bertrand on the other hand...

"It's entirely different for  _us._ "

"Do you get money if I marry the Prince?" Airili asked, narrowing her eyes at him as if she had figured out his motive.

"Not... directly, but we can leverage the prestige to great effect." Bertrand explained calmly. "It would be best to get that leverage before others find out our situation. In the circles we run in, if word got out of our financial ruin, it would be a scandal."

"But our name is still worth something in Cordonia!" Maxwell assured Airili, hoping she wouldn't back down more for Thomas' sake than his own. "At the very least, we can introduce you to the right people, get you invitations to the right events. I only regret that we can't offer you more."

"Speaking of which, have you prepared for tomorrow's event?" Bertrand asked her, taking control of the conversation again.

"Event?" Airili asked politely.

"That's the Derby." Maxwell explained, trying to avoid another explosion of wrath from his brother.

"You know what a derby is, right?"

"A derby is a fancy horse race." Airili answered coolly. 

"Very good." Bertrand actually smiled and Airili debated whether or not he had killed a kitten somewhere with it. "It'll be your first opportunity to make an impression on the press. They'll be covering the event."

"They don't get a lot of opportunities to see the royals, so they'll jump at this chance..."

"Oh... I assume they're important then." Airili reasoned.

"Yes.  _Very_. Everyone in Cordonia will be influenced by what they write about you." Bertrand stared her down in hopes of making her understand the pressure of it all.

"We're a monarchy, but we serve the people. You'll need their approval if you're going to become queen." Maxwell explained.

"Speaking of which, you should consider your attire for tomorrow. The Queen will be present at the Derby, and the right outfit will go a long way to earning her favor. I recommend going for a Derby look that's modern to impress the Queen."

"I'll keep that in mind." Airili promised.

"I've made an appointment for you in the morning at the boutique already..." Maxwell informed her, giving her a wink.

"We'll speak more tomorrow right before we head out for the Derby. Goodnight." With that, the Beaumont brothers left her room and she went to bed, knowing that she didn't really have the luxury of remembering the day.

The next morning she got up and went to the boutique, already ready for the day to be over. She paused outside the boutique door. What had changed her so much? She had experienced so many incredible and new things yesterday. She should've been happy. She thought through it all and felt better. She had flown on a private jet, she came to a new country. She'd never been to a Masquerade or played maze tag. She'd never been to a ball or waltzed or met a King. Today would be full of new experiences too. She'd get to go to a Derby. She'd meet the Queen. Who knew what else? With this newfound confidence and happiness, she entered the boutique, only to find a head of familiar bright red hair: Olivia.

"Oh, I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you'd have gone home by now." Olivia greeted, looking rather surprised to see her. She was wearing a teal, flowy dress with a high collar, some dangling pearl earrings, and a bright yellow hat covered in feathers. She smirked. "Surely you've realized that you don't have a chance at winning."

Airili walked over to the rack of dresses and observed them before looking over at Oliva with a sincere look. "Olivia, sure  _you've_ realized you don't need to hurt others to protect yourself."

"Huh? I..." Olivia was speechless.

"Shhh... it's okay. You don't have to say anything. Look, I know we're set up to be rivals, but that doesn't mean we have to dislike each other."

"But... Thomas..." Olivia scowled, still trying to string together a sentence.

"Whatever else is going on, we don't have to hurt each other."

"I don't know what kind of game you're playing, Airili, but you..." Olivia stared at her, eyes narrowing. "You're not going to fool me." She strode towards the door but paused, looking over her shoulder. "...Look, I know you're probably going to embarrass us all with your lack of fashion sense later, but... Try to avoid doing that. You've probably never been to a derby, but you really must look the part. A runway-worthy ensemble is going to get you noticed by the press... but that's just my recommendation."

"Uh-huh." Airili frowned as did Olivia. "Is this like the last time you gave me advice?"

"No, I..." Olivia's shoulders tensed slightly. "nevermind. Forget it. I'll see you at the races later... And I won't be holding back."

Olivia walked out of the boutique and Airili couldn't help but think maybe she had broken through to Olivia a little bit. The redhead seemed set on hating her but she couldn't help wondering if she could make friends with her anyways. She turned back to the dresses, looking through the dozens of choices she had available to her. Should she follow Bertrand's advice or Olivia's? Neither of them particularly seemed like they wanted her to succeed but perhaps Bertrand had had a lapse in judgement and Olivia wanted to make up for the crap she had pulled the evening before. Runway... Modern... The choices fluttered around her head. She decided to go with a more modern look.

She wore a white topped dress with a pink skirt covered in red roses. A necklace covered in an assortment of different lengthed pink beads draped around her neck. And a black, transparent hat, trimmed in a white ribbon and covered in a mixture of black and white ribbons on top. She wore a pair of white laced heels that matched her hat well. It was incredibly chic and she hoped that it would give the Queen a good impression of her.

"Derby, here I come!"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience in my hiatus. I should officially be uploading more frequently now and if we're super lucky my frequency will increase again by the end of the month when I finish up a different open fic. As always, I thank you for you support and you can contribute to what I work on next with the survey on my website.  
> jeanneriddle.weebly.com


	5. Off to the Races

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your continued support. I will be updating this fic more regularly now that I'm down to three fics again and I hope you will continue to join me on this adventure to test my writing of detail abilities. If you want to see more of this later on,  
> please go to my website and vote for part 2!  
> jeanneriddle.weebly.com

The morning of the Derby arrived all too fast and Airili found herself wondering if she could keep up with courtly life like this. A ball the night before and now a derby? It was like a constant party. Airili was sitting on her bed in her bed dressed in a stylish outfit and listening to Maxwell as he tried to guide her through the ins and outs of conducting oneself as a lady of the court of Cordonia.

"So let's review." Maxwell began to summarize what had to have been half an hour of Bertrand approved princess lessons. "At the lawn picnic, you'll have to eat with perfect civility..."

"I've got this, Maxwell." Airili assured, not sure she wanted to listen to it all again. "I won't stuff my mouth, pick my teeth, or stab Drake with a fork... no matter how tempting that last one might be."

"Right. Well, Bertrand said I should go over  _everything._ Speaking of which, how would you address Bertrand?" Airili sighed.

"I'm supposed to address Bertrand as Your Grace."

"Right!" Maxwell beamed with pride. "And in case it comes up, his full title is Duke Bertrand Beaumont of Ramsford, also known as Duke Ramsford." 

A sharp knock on the door suggested that saying Bertrand's name four times summoned him like some sort of condescending demon. Maxwell answered it and Airili's joking suspicion was confirmed.

"Maxwell." Bertrand greeted firmly. "How's progress?"

"As planned!" Maxwell announced excitedly. "Airili and I were just about to review her entrance to the Derby and how to get out of a car without flashing the press..."

"Adjust skirts before moving and keep your knees and feet together while swiveling out." Airili supplied in the background, trying to prove Maxwell's point.

"Anyone who can run an Internet search can spout off that kind of protocol." Bertrand growled frustratedly at Airili. "We're asking you to be a  _lady._ Maxwell, I hope you don't mind if I take the liberty of testing Airili myself."

"Pretty sure if doesn't actually matter whether or not I mind..." Maxwell shrugged, shaking his head and relinquishing any control he had over the conversation to his brother.

"Indeed." Bertrand dismissed the tangent and strode over to stand in front of Airili, gesturing for her to stand."Airili, let's pretend I'm meeting you for the first time. Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Airili Vitalia."

"The pleasure's all mine, Duke Ramford." Airili parroted the lessons from all morning politely, curtsying. Bertrand took her hand in his right one and kissed the back of it.

"Now, what did I do wrong?" Bertrand asked her pointedly.

"You..." Airili went over it in her head and could only come to one conclusion. "You used the wrong hand. You should have taken my hand with your  _left_ hand. Otherwise, it's an insult."

"Very observant of you." Bertrand smiled and Airili was sure ten kittens and puppies had been prematurely sent on an ascent to Heaven.

"You thought I wasn't learning anything." Airili smirked, crossing her arms in victory.

"Don't get too complacent. You're only ever one mistake away from a scandal."

"Thanks for the reminder." Airili said through clenched teeth.

"Anyway, the real reason I came was to inform you that our limo awaits to take us to Honeyhill Downs..."

"Limo?" Airili perked up despite the regular insults. 

Moments later they were packed into a well-stocked limo, Airili enjoying Maxwell's company, but Bertand's... not so much. The ceiling of the limo mimicked the night sky and Airili was enthralled. 

"Now as we mentioned earlier, how you come across to the Cordonian people is very important, and the press can make or break you." Bertrand stated, reminding Airili for the umpteenth time not to screw this up for them, or really, just Bertrand. "What the press writes, the people read. If the people love you, then it'll be easy to convince them you deserve their prince."

"So you've got to impress the press, so to speak." Maxwell punned and Airili smiled a bit. "You'll be surrounded by them as soon as we pull up to the Downs."

"All right..." Airili thought for a moment through her lessons but realized she had no idea what she would be asked. "What kinds of questions should I be expecting?"

"It'll depend on who's doing the interview..." Bertrand admitted, thinking through the process. "They'll start with easy questions, asking who you are, where you're from, that sort of thing."

"People want to understand your story..." Maxwell explained. "So think about how you want them to see you."

"Then the hard questions..." Bertrand continued as if Maxwell hadn't spoken. "I don't know what they'll ask but..."

"Be myself?" Airili suggested, smiling sweetly.

"Heavens, no." Bertrand let out a laugh of amusement. "Be a future queen who loves Cordonia and acts with grace and poise. And for the love of king and country, if they ask you about Cordonian apples, make sure you take the question seriously."

"Cordonian... apples?" Airili questioned, not sure she heard that right.

"It's the national fruit, and one of our most important exports." Maxwell explained quietly but with a sense of pride.

"Ah, got it." 

"Do you?" Bertrand questioned disbelievingly. "How confident are you feeling about this?"

"I feel great! It'll be fun." Airili murmured, glancing out the window at the grassy fields that they were driving through as the limo progressively slowed.

"I hope your overconfidence won't be your downfall." Bertrand groaned.

"Well, I believe in you." Maxwell assured with a smile. The limo pulled around to the front of the racetrack and Airili saw crowds of ladies and gentlemen wearing bright colors and large hats and found herself in awe. It was like some sort of Hollywood movie. They paraded through a throng of press reporters trying hard to get as many interviews as they could behind a line of velvet ropes.

"Wow..." Airili murmured blankly staring at the grandeur. "It's so exciting. I feel like I'm at a fair..."

"A 'fair'?" Bertrand asked aghast. Obviously it had been a word that offended him. "This is no county fair where you weigh pigs and eat pie. This is  _the_ outdoor even of the social season..." Maxwell only smiled reassuringly with a glint of amusement and opened the door of the limo for her.

"This is your stop, my lady." Maxwell murmured, gently and playfully pushing Bertrand in the face to get him quiet.

"You're coming with me, right?" Airili asked, turning to look at Maxwell pleadingly before she stepped out of the limo. 

"No." Bertrand said flatly, slapping away Maxwell's hand. "We don't need to be interviewed."

"Okay... but where should I go after I talk to the press?" Airili asked quietly so that no one except Maxwell could hear.

"The ladies vying for Thomas' hand have their own section. Just continue down the red carpet and search for the pink tents, and you'll be fine." Maxwell assured with a glint of belief in her in his eyes.

"We'll see you out there." Bertrand called as she stepped out of the safety of the limo. Airili was swarmed two steps later by a hoard of Cordonian reporters and their flurry of microphones. Airili glanced back at Maxwell for support and he gave an encouraging nod as if he was a mother who had sent his child of to its first day of kindergarten.

"Remember what Bertrand said!" Maxwell guided patiently, almost knowledgeably. "Easy questions first, hardball questions later. You'll do great!"

Airili didn't feel much confidence in herself or her ability to charm the press but she'd need to if she had any hope of living up to Bertrand's expectations of her courtly appearance, Maxwell's expectations of how she had changed Thomas' world, and she wasn't sure what Thomas' expectations were, but he had to have some... right? She turned to face the press once more as the car doors closed behind her and the escape of the limo drove away from her.

"Over here!" a dark-skinned man in casual dress called for her attention, introducing himself immediately. "Donald Brine from the Cordonia Broadcasting Center. We've heard about the new lady on the social scene! What's your name?"

"Lady Airili Vitalia from House Beaumont." Airili flashed a smile, feeling more confident. Names she could definitely do. Donald smiled, happy to be picked from the hoard of interviewers first.

"Our viewers care about getting the real story. Tell about yourself!" he encouraged, pushing onto a slightly harder question.

"I'm..." Airili thought a moment about how she wanted the press to see her... similarly to Thomas, she realized. Well, Thomas didn't know to terribly much about her at the moment, so she was... "A mystery."

Donald stood in shock for a moment before his bright white grin returned to his face. "Most of the ladies here can't wait to talk our ears off."

"What can I say? I'm not like everyone else." A statement that couldn't be more true. She was an American waitress who had somehow managed to get some support from the Cordonian court for an attempt at a Cinderella story.

"A fascinating spin..." Donald mused, pondering her for a moment. The other reporters waited patiently as he looked her up and down, also excited to see what else he could pull from her. "Now, I've heard early rumors that you're Prince Thomas' favorite... What do you think makes you stand out?"

"Prince Thomas first noticed me because he couldn't figure me out." Airili wasn't entirely sure it was true, every time they were alone together it seemed as if he was trying desperately to understand what would make a waitress fly to a country she'd never been to in order to try winning his hand, aside from the obvious which must've seemed a little depressing; wealth and power, neither of which were her reasons.

"Interesting..." Donald trailed off again, thinking of another question in hopes of unwrapping the mysterious American before him. "Can I get a photo of you?"

"Of course!" Airili beamed, glad to be back on an easier question.

"Throw us your best look!" CBC's reporter encouraged and she made herself look calm and collected but also approachable, hoping that her photo would at least help the people of Cordonia feel like they new her better, because she felt like she was starting to lose herself. "Wonderful. Just wonderful. You're very photogenic..." He pulls out his phone and begins mumbling to himself as he types some notes. "'The Mystery Woman' sweeps the Derby red carpet..." Not a bad headline to be introduced to the people with, Airili felt. A lovely blonde lady in a designer suit politely raised her hand and Airili's attention was pulled to her.

"Lady Vitalia, Ana de Luca here on behalf of Trend, fashion and celebrity news magazine..." the blonde reporter introduced, looking decided unaffected by the air of mystery because of either her red-rimmed sunglasses or because she was. "Now, to get into it... Lady Vitalia... As an outsider, what do you think of Cordonia?"

"Cordonia?" Airili repeated, thinking for a moment. She wanted to give an answer that was both honest and pleased the people and only one came to mind. "It's a country full of charm and wonder." 

"The people will be happy to hear it." Ana assured. "Lady Vitalia, if you marry Prince Thomas, you'll be our next queen. What qualities make you fit to rule Cordonia?"

The question hit like a ton of bricks and Airili pulled two positive qualities that her sixth grade literacy teach had once described her as and hoped it worked. "I can rule Cordonia because I'm graceful and composed. The people can trust me to look out for them and to keep a cool head in times of crisis. I'd also consider myself brave, caring, and honest."

"That'll be a nice soundbite." Ana mused, mind shooting with another question almost immediately. "Last question... Hypothetically, how would you handle news about low crop yields from the Cordonian apple orchards?"

"My first act would be to comfort the people." Airili recalled the pride Maxwell swelled with at just the mention of Cordonian apples. She could easily imagine how every other Cordonian probably felt similarly. "I know how important the Cordonian apples are to the country and its people, and they deserve to know I'd take this problem seriously. The of course, we'd talk about ways to deal with the crisis at hand."

"I can use that..." Airili wanted to say more but the line of nobles behind her was starting to grow and she was forced to continue on her way. "Looks like that's all our time."

"Thanks, Lady Vitalia." Donald smiled, finally pocketing his phone and looking at her again.

"Glad to have someone interesting like you in the running..." Ana admitted, a subtle smile appearing on her features.

"Thank you!" Airili grinned before officially making her departure. She politely waved goodbye, flashing smiles at photographers as she made her way to the field. She was supposed to join the other suitors somewhere but she couldn't make out any pink tents in the massive number that were there. Her next solution was to find a familiar face but that proved to be just as difficult. Hopelessly lost, she wandered into a stable nearby, hoping to find someone to ask.

Most of the pens were empty except for one horse that skitted away when she walked in, stamping nervously and impatiently and making a small grunt as it backed into the wall.

"Hello?" Airili called, looking into the other stalls. "Any humans in here? I could use some directions..." Ominously, a gust of wind rushes through the stable and slams the door behind her shut. The horse let out a frantic neigh, spooked by the moving inanimate object. Frightened, the horse charged in Airili's direction through the pen's loose door, kicking, bucking, and neighing as it barreled its way to her. She turned to run but she was in heels and moreover, the horse had two legs more than her. The horse let out another loud neigh and reared up in front of her. She let out a sound of horror, bracing herself for a hard collision when the horse came back down.

The impact never came though. At the last moment, someone jumped between her and the spooked horse. She stumbled into a stack of hay and looked up to see Drake, standing there soothing the horse as if this was a completely normal situation.

"Woah there. Woah." he gently tugs the horse's attention to him by its main and locks eyes with it, his own eyes soft and comforting. "Nothin' to worry about, big fella. I'll get this girl outta here for you." As if by magic, Drake successfully soothed the horse and led it back to its stall before turning to look at a hay-covered Airili. "You okay, Airili?"

"Drake?!" Are you following me?" Airili asked, coming up with the only explanation as to why Drake would be here in a stable. She doubted that he was lost. 

"Does that really matter now?" Drake asked coolly, offering a hand to help her out of the haystack.

"Yes." Airili answered pointedly, standing up on her own.

"Okay... fine." Drake admitted as Airili brushed the hay from her outfit. "I was following you... but in the bodyguard kind of way, not the stalker way."

"Feels kind of stalkerish to me." Airili gestured around the empty stable as if to make her point. Drake ran his fingers through his hair awkwardly, biting his lip.

"Look... I..." he frowned after a moment or so, kicking at the ground nervously. "The truth is, Thomas told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't end up in the wrong place... exactly like now."

"He told you that?" Airili asked, a little surprised that Thomas had thought of her.

"Yeah, good thing I followed his instructions, huh?" Drake said, trying to lighten the heavy air between them. "Speaking of which, you should get back to the racetrack and your adoring fans..."

"I'd love to, but I'm lost." Airili admitted a little bitterly. "Maxwell told em to look for the pink tents?"

"He's wrong." Drake said simply. "You're looking for the  _white_ tents next to the starting line... Can't miss them. Good luck!"

"You're not coming with me?" she asked, shocked at how he was dismissing her like that after saving her.

"No... I'm due to meet Thomas. He has his own private tent." Drake explained with a smile, looking almost giddy. "We usually just hang out there and get some drinks, watch the ceremonies, place our bets on the horses... It's pretty sweet."

"In that case... I'm going with you." Airili decided, knowing she'd have a lot more fun with Drake and Thomas rather than the other ladies.

"What?" Drake asked dejectedly.

"It sounds more fun where you're going. Take me with you." 

"I don't think you're supposed to..." 

"What are they going to do? Put me in Princess Jail?" Airili countered and Drake had no further arguments to give, shaking his head but not stopping her as he made his way out of the stables. Airili followed him in silence until he finally stopped in front of one of the private tents ringed around the racetrack.

"Here." Drake gestured with a sigh. "You go ahead. I'm going to grab some beers for us." He reluctantly passed her a pass and once she had taken it, she was left standing in front of the Prince's tent as Drake wandered off with a sense of direction that was almost impressive. She quietly entered the tent and found Thomas staring out at the track intently, almost oblivious to the world around him. She sneakily made her way behind him and gently covered his eyes. He tensed, adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly.

"Guess who!" She quietly whispered into his ear. At the sound of her voice, he visibly relaxed, a small smile appearing on his lips.

"There's only one person who could find me here and sneak up on me." he said confidently, smiling brighter with every word until he was beaming as he said her name. "Airili."

"Correct!" Airili grinned, removing her hands from his eyes and settling next to him at the track railing. Thomas looked at her with a sense of awe despite the grin he couldn't seem to keep under wraps.

"However in the world did you manage to get in here?"

"Actually... Drake was kind enough to let me in." Airili admitted, noticing a couple specks of alfalfa on her forearm and brushing them away with a light blush.

"Drake's never been one to follow the rules..." Thomas mused, deciding not to ask why she was still covered in little bits of hay. "Maybe that's why he's my best friend."

"Speaking of which... I had a funny conversation with Drake." Airili admitted, looking up at Thomas with a curious expression. "He said you told him to look out for me."

"Ah... right." Thomas turned bright red, as if embarrassed to be outed. "I guess you caught me. I did say that to him." 

"Thomas..." Airili scooted a step closer to him. "That was really thoughtful of you."

"I'm often thinking of you, Airili." Thomas admitted as if he was a kid sharing a secret he hadn't told anyone.

"Thomas..." her heart started pounding a little bit. It felt kind of wonderful to know that someone as important as the crown prince of Cordonia thought of her so frequently, but more than that, it felt could to know that Thomas did, title aside.

"Ah, they're leading the horses to the starting gates now." Thomas abruptly changed the subject, blush still tinting the tips of his ears. Airili drew her attention to the majestic thoroughbreds prancing to the gates, tossing their heads and nickering proudly. "I love watching the horses."

"What strikes me is that they're so... beautiful." 

"That they are." Thomas agreed, holding his hands behind his back as if to stop himself from doing something foolish. "These are no show ponies, but they have a beauty and grace all their own. Did you know the winner gets covered in flowers?"

"That must be an incredible sight." Airili mused, eyes not leaving the horses. She could feel the night before hanging between them but propriety stood between them now. It was daylight and even though it was private... ish... Thomas was obviously uncomfortable with leading her on too far. She wasn't able to ponder it any further as Drake let himself into the tent, holding three cups of beer, handing one to each of them and plopping himself down in a chair.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything."Drake said nonchalantly, though Airili wasn't completely sure how genuine that hope of his was.

"Drake... Of course not. We're happy to see you."  she assured and Drake stared at her in shock.

"You are?"

"Yeah, come join us." Airili patted the spot on the railing next to her, not about to make him feel divided from his best friend when he was so nice as to let her be here in the first place.

"And you're just in time." Thomas murmured, pointing out to the gates as Drake got up and made his way to the railing next to Airili. "The last race is about to start! I say Twilight-Dash takes the crown."

"That's not a bad prediction, but I've been studying the stats." Drake admitted, smirking. "My money's on Marabelle's Dream."

"Want to bet on that, Drake?" A playful light flickered brightly in Thomas' eyes as he looked over to his friend.

"Sure." Drake agreed with a excited grin. "The usual?"

"What's the usual?" Airili asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Ever since Drake and I were kids, we'd bet each other push-ups." Thomas explained coolly.

"Not just any push-ups." Drake corrected on the other side of her.

"Push-ups while the other person sits on your back." Thomas elaborated, mischief glowing over his features.

"That's so cute!" 

"It's not 'cute.' It's... rugged. And manly." Drake defended, masculinity clearly bruised.

"Yes, very tough, I'd say." Thomas agreed.

"Oh, right. Of course." Airili smirked with amusement.

"So do we have a bet?" Thomas asked, leaning back to look at Drake with a smile.

"You're on." Drake said with a playful but fiery resolve.

"Except perhaps one change to the usual." Thomas mused. "I think we'd be incredibly rude to leave out Airili... Maybe she should be the one to sit on the loser's back..."

"Sit on your back while one of you does push-ups?" Airili questioned in surprise. "I'm happy to help." She figured Drake was going to be the one blowing hot steam and it would be nice to have something on him after the humiliation of the stables. 

"There we have it, then." Thomas decreed, glancing back out to the gates. 

The race started with the sound of a gunshot and everyone in the tent leaned forward with palpable anticipation of the results.

"Twilight-Dash takes the lead." Thomas announced giddly, looking like he'd already won. The horse in question let out a whinny, obviously proud of the situation.

"Race isn't over yet." Drake said seriously, cupping his hands into a megaphone and cheering. "Go, Marabelle!"

The horse's ears twitched slightly and she let out her own neigh, galloping faster

"They're rounding the third bend..." Thomas was entranced, leaning out enough that Airili was sure that if she blew on him he'd fall over.

"Come on, Marabelle." Drake murmured encouragement to the horse to himself. "You're gaining... Catch them in the final furlong." 

Airili could hardly believe she was this excited over a horse race but Drake's and Thomas' excitement was contagious. 

"They're neck-and-neck!" Airili pointed out, gripping the rail to well down some of the anticipation as the finish line grew closer and closer.

"Come on..." Thomas was also gripping the rail, eyes wide as he watched the close race intensely. 

"And there goes Marabelle!" Drake brought his fist down in a victory pump with a bright grin. "Ha! I knew it!"

The black mare named Marabelle's Dream crossed the finish line and was lead to the side and covered in roses a moment later, letting out a victorious whinny and rearing up for show.

"Thomas, I believe you're up." Drake said coolly, leaning back against the rail.

"Well, here we go..." Thomas frowned but there wasn't any real sadness behind it.

"If you think I'm going to bow gracefully and let you out of the bet, you're dead wrong." Drake took a sip of his beer with a smirk.

"Oh, I know." Thomas said with a girn. "That's one of my favorite things about you, Drake. You never let me get away with anything. Now, I can't get these clothes all sweaty..." 

To Airili's surprise, Thomas unbuttoned his blazer and shirt, and pulled them off along with his usual blue scarf before dropping to the ground in preparation of doing push-ups.

"Oh!" Was all she was able to say as she stared at the fit glory that was Thomas. Thomas glanced up at her with a gentle and encouraging smile.

"Airili, I believe I need your assistance here?" 

"I'm on it!" Airili picked her jaw off the ground and carefully sat on Thomas' back, grateful he couldn't see how red her face was from this angle.

"Is that all?" Thomas asked in surprise. "I barely feel anything." 

It made sense, Drake was probably severely heavier than she was, but it still felt like Thomas may have been exaggerating... She looked down at his well-toned back and ignored that thought. Thomas was way stronger than his clothes gave him credit.

"Maybe I should get on there too..." Drake said with a smirk, chuckling. With fluid and deceptively easy movements, Thomas began doing his push-ups, counting quietly to himself "Pff. Too easy." 

"And... Ten! Done." Thomas announced to let Airili know that she could get off of him now and she did, taking a quick swig of beer to play it off as if the blush on her face was from alcohol and not the obvious. Thomas stood and put on his clothes neatly as if they had never left him in the first place. "Never let it be said that's I've ever backed out of a bet." 

With that, the two men clinked their cups together and Drake took a swig and Thomas a polite sip.

"And you lose all the time, so that's saying something." Drake teased with a grin.

"I must've done something very wrong at some point for you to be my best friend." Thomas teased back with a bright grin. 

"I think it's part of my job to keep you humble." Drake retorted, downing the rest of his beer. "Hard to do with all these gorgeous women chasing after you."

"Speaking of which..." Thomas turned his attention to Airili with a gentle and shy smile. "Now that the races are over, it's probably time to get back to the social barrage. Next up is the lawn picnic..."

"I guess that means I should get back to where the girls are... Bertrand and Maxwell are probably looking for me." Drake glanced between Thomas and Airili before letting out a heavy sigh of defeat. Thomas obviously wanted a moment more with her and Airili seemed to be the same from his perspective.

"...I'll go see where they are." he relented, heading out of the tent. Thomas turned to Airili when they were alone again.

"Thank you for coming here, Airili." Thomas smiled softly. "I'm not exaggerating when I say that you made my day."

"Thomas..." Airili was speechless, distracted by moments before and the evening that still hung between them thickly. "How about a goodbye kiss?" 

She had meant it as a joke, in hopes of dissipating the tension but with a blush, Thomas glanced around quickly and then leaned in. He pressed a tender kiss to her lips and Airili found her arms wrapped around him instinctively. It must've been the right move because a more genuine smile appeared on Thomas' lips and she could feel it through the kiss.

"...Now it's been the perfect day." Airili murmured as Thomas slowly pulled away. Drake cleared his throat and the two of them shot apart as if they hadn't just been pressed together.

"I just saw Maxwell run out to bring the car around. The ladies are a few tents down, and they're headed to lawn picnic. I can show Airili over there." Drake announced, being the dutiful best friend that he was.

"If you must." Airili said coolly, despite the blush that was still tinting her cheeks.

"Goodbye, Airili." Thomas said quietly. "Until we meet again." 

"Until then." Airili agreed but her heart was already longing for that moment. Drake guided her over to the white tents and away from Thomas and Airili immediately spotted familiar faces. Olivia, Penelope, Kiara, and Hana were all standing around with long faces.

"I can't believe we didn't get to see the Prince at all..." Olivia murmured, downtrodden.

"He's sure to be at the lawn party, though..." Penelope said, mostly to comfort herself. Penelope was wearing a beautiful but simple, sunshine yellow sundress with a lilac, feathered hat and a small, silver, poodle-shaped pin on her dress, encrusted with numerous purple gems.

"I guess I leave you here." Drake muttered quietly, dusting off his hands as if it had taken labor or something. "Good luck."

"Sometimes I feel like I'd rather face a rampaging horse than deal with the others..." Airili admitted with a soft sigh of resignation.

"I don't know... You didn't fare so well in front of the horse..." Drake teased and she shot him a playful glare.

"Ha. I guess that's true." she admitted, chuckling slightly. They shared a glance. "Hey, Drake. Thanks for saving me."

"I know I can be a jerk, but I'd have to be a real low-life to let a horse trample a girl."

"Well. Thanks anyway." With that, Airili walked away, heading towards the other ladies of the court in hopes of seeing Thomas again soon in exchange for socialising with them.

"Look who finally showed up." Olivia mused with her usual smirk, unaware of where Airili had been but ready to rub her tardiness in her face. " _Fashionably late_ has its limits, you know."

"Airili, I was worried about you." Hana walked up to Airili with a relieved smile. She was where a light pink halter dress with white ruffles around the edges and a pink sunhat. "What happened?"

"Oh, well, I..." Airili knew she couldn't exactly tell the ladies about her experience with the race. "kind of got lost."

"It's only day two and you can't even keep up?" Kiara asked with a frown. She was was wearing a light, sky blue jumper and a white hat with the plumage that was apparently customary for this event. "Tres embarrassant."

"I know it can be really overwhelming... how the press swarmed us all when we arrived..." Hana murmured, relating strongly the the exhaustion of court. She gave Airili a shy smile.

"Hana... How do you handle all the attention?" Airili questioned, raising an eyebrow. Hana handled and navigated court life as if it was second nature as long as Olivia wasn't firing her insults in her direction and Airili found it to be rather inspiring.

"All of the pressure to be perfect and keep up appearances can be pretty overwhelming." Hana admitted, thinking for a moment. "I guess when I'm up there, I try to think of the person that I want everyone to see, and act like that person."

"Is that all?" Airili asked, feeling a little disappointed. That's what she had been trying to do and it was becoming harder and harder to do that as courtly appearances went on.

"Sweets and massages help too." Hana smiled, chuckling softly. "I'll have to introduce you to all the pastries from my home..." 

"Now that the races are over, what happens next?" Airili asked curiously.

"Now the real party starts!" Was the only answer that Hana gave.


	6. Queen of Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your continued support, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. If you are a fan of passion projects, please check out My Sword and Shield on my works list. It's my newest fic and it will end up being quite the story in the end, I think. As always, if you like what I do, keep an eye on me at tumblr (jeanneriddleq), facebook, or my website (jeanneriddle.weebly.com).

"So we're on our way to the best party ever?" Airili asked skeptically as she walked off the field with Hana. She couldn't imagine how anything could top a masquerade but she was suspending her disbelief for Hana's sake.

"Well, if your idea of the best party ever is a tea party with lemonade, finger sandwiches, and butter cookies..." Hana admitted coily with a big grin. Airili quickly had a smile to match.

"To be honest, I love a good tea party." she admitted, linking arms with Hana. "I know some people think they're childish, but I can't help myself."

"What's not to love? There's nothing cozier than eating scones off a pretty set of china on a sunny afternoon." Hana said matter-of-factly. "When I was little, I didn't have that many toys to play with because my parents thought they were frivolous... But I was allowed a tea set, so that I could learn to be a proper hostess..."

"Naturally." Airili was still trying to understand the minds of Hana's parents and was hoping that this story would shed some light on the mystery.

"I spent lots of happy afternoons sipping tea with all of my favorite guests..." Hana lifted her hand and started tallying her fingers as she listed them off by name. "Mr. Sock, Miss Lemon Curd, and Princess Snickerdoodle..."

"Uh..." Airili found herself speechless when she considered the fact that those items were probably more literally named than she wanted to believe.

"Like I said, I wasn't allowed to have toys... so I had to get a little creative." Hana was now wearing an anxious expression as if she was afraid she had scared off her friend. 

"I just hope the company today can keep up." Airili teased with a smile, gently nudging Hana's shoulder with her own.

"Oh, I  _much_ prefer your company." Hana assured, smile returning quickly. "You actually talk to me!"

"Princess Snickerdoodle was never one for conversation?" Airili asked, knowing the answer but also that Hana would get a kick out of her little quip. 

"Not so much." Hana chuckled but her mind drifted to more serious matters. "And don't forget, we'll be meeting the Queen today! That's sure to be... eventful."

"Ah, yes, the Queen." Airili couldn't even imagine what the woman was like. She'd not seen her at the Masquerade and if she attended the horse race, Airili had been far too preoccupied with being lost and assisting in push ups to notice. "Have you met her before?"

"Once, a long time ago, but I doubt she remembers me." Hana admitted thoughtfully. "Today will be our first official meeting. I must confess, I'm a bit nervous..."

Hana paused in her footing as they arrived at the drive where dozens of cars were lined up and waiting to pick up important guests. A black town car came to a halt four feet in front of them and the driver got out to open the door for Hana. Airili certainly didn't recognize him.

"Well, this is me, Airili." Hana murmured as she walked to the open car door. "I'll see you at the lawn party."

"Looking forward to it." Airili promised, giving a small wave. The driver nimbly shut the door once Hana was in her seat and quickly moved to his own chair before driving off. Airili thought she'd be left to consider things a moment or two but was proven wrong as a familiar limo pulled up in front of her and the driver got out and opened the door for her as well.

"Hop in!" Came a voice from inside, Maxwell's usual casual speak. Airili stepped into the limo and sat herself down next to Maxwell, not really feeling like she wanted to sit next to the other Beaumont brother. "I hope you had a good time..."

"It was--" 

"Enough pleasantries." Bertrand interrupted, hissing out the second word as if it had left a sour taste in his mouth. "We only have time for business. First of all, was that Lady Hana Lee I saw you with before we pulled up? You two looked friendly."

"Hana and I are becoming friends." Airili answered, at least she hoped that was the case, it certainly felt that way to her.

"Hm... interesting." Bertrand considered her a moment. "An alliance with her family isn't the  _worst_ thing as long as you don't let it distract you from the Prince... In any case, your focus today should be on impressing the Queen. She holds more sway than anyone else at court..."

"Even more than the King?" Airili asked in disbelief.

"Socially, yes. Don't underestimate her. Thankfully, you heeded my recommendation to wear something modern. That'll curry her favor."

"Yeah, that'll help, but more than that..." Maxwell hummed, pointing a pretzel stick at her before popping it into his mouth. "You need to get her to like you."

"If I'm going to get her to like me, tell me what she likes." Airili suggested, raising an eyebrow at Bertrand as if to say 'your move.' Bertrand simply rolled his eyes and gestured to Maxwell as if it would hurt him to speak to a commoner any longer.

"The Queen enjoys fashion and likes a woman with grace and style. She tends to favor the ladies who are originally from Cordonia so you're at a disadvantage there." Maxwell listed off, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"I see..." Airili murmured, biting the inside of her lip. That didn't tell her as much as she hoped. 

"But I'm sure your natural charm will win her over." Maxwell assured with a smile.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence..." Bertrand's patience with the conversation had come to an end.

"She has a high regard for royal protocol." he stated as if it were obvious. "You should call her 'Your Majesty' when you first meet her, and 'ma'am' thereafter. Etiquette-wise, don't forget that you must always stay a step or two behind her when keeping company with her."

"Oh!" Maxwell exclaimed as if remembering something. "She also loves to play games and can be quite competitive."

"Ultimately, she's concerned about how the Prince's bride will be partly responsible for Cordonia's future. Keep that in mind when talking to her."

"Got it." Airili put everything to mind, a little happy to have gotten a little more about how to impress what she hoped would be her future mother-in-law if she was very, very lucky.

"I hope you do." Bertrand sighed, obscuring his view of her with the morning paper. "You might have performed well with the press, but remember, Airili, it only takes one slip-up to tear apart the reputation you've built."

Airili just smiled politely but inside she was screaming, and maybe panicking just a little. For someone who was so reliant on her 'winning' this thing, he sure had a way of emotionally undermining her. She stepped out of the limo as the door opened and looked around in awe, Maxwell offered his arm and Airili took it with a small smile. 

The picnic was beautiful. There were canopies made with flowy, white cloth and decorated with garlands of flowers, every table had a floral table cloth, and wicker chairs surrounded each and every table, each with a plush looking cushion.

"Wow, this looks like a million-dollar picnic." Airili murmured in awe.

"It's not polite to discuss the price, but you're probably not far off." Bertrand mused, taking in the scene as well. "Now, Airili, go stand over there with the rest of the ladies in the receiving line..."

Airili gave Maxwell's arm a light squeeze before walking over to the line nervously. Her heart was banging against her ribcage and she couldn't remember ever feeling so anxious.

"Welcome to the tea party." Airili heard a friendly whisper. She glanced over and saw Hana smiling at her.

"Cutting it awfully close there..." That was a much less friendly voice. Olivia. She was staring intently at a group of heralds that were announcing the coming of the Queen.

"Welcome, all..." the Queen greeted with a small smile. It was actually disturbing how much the woman reminded her of Julie Andrews from Princess Diaries but with longer hair and perhaps a little squarer jaw. "I'm so delighted you could join us this afternoon..."

With that, she started to make her way through the line, having polite and quiet conversations with all the ladies. Airili spotted a beautiful, blonde lady to the Queen's left, escorting her and curiosity welled up inside her. Hana, along with her many other talents, must've been able to read minds because she leaned over and asked the same question out loud.

"I wonder who that lady with the Queen is..."

"Hmmm..." Airili recognized her face but couldn't be sure where, one name stood out to her more than anything else. "She looks familiar. I think her name is Madeleine." A headline from a tabloid a couple months ago becoming more prominent in her mind.

"That's  _Countess_ Madeleine of Fydelia to you, and if you haven't heard of her, then you really are behind the times." Olivia said with a smirk.

"Her name was all over the tabloids at one point." Penelope stated, looking like she was remembering it well. "She was betrothed to the former Crown Prince until he  _abdicated_..."

"It was particularly embarrassing for her to be thrown over like that." Kiara said sympathetically. "She was the one who was chosen during that social season, after all. To go through all that and not be royal..."

"Poor thing must be the Queen's guest as a consolation prize..." Oliva mused, frowning as if she cared about the tragic backstory this woman possessed. It must've been thirty minutes but soon the Queen stood in front of Airili after talking with so many other women, she was finding it difficult to imagine how she'd make any impression at all. She stepped forward and curtsied, keeping her eyes forced upon the Queen's face, despite not feeling brave enough to.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."

"Ma'am, this is the one I was telling you about..." Madeleine said quietly and Airili wasn't sure that was a good thing or a bad thing, swallowing thickly and hoping for the best.

"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Airili Vitalia." The queen said simply, looking her over. "The press speaks well of you. It takes a great effort to manage one's image so responsibly. And you've selected the appropriate attire for the event. They're touting you as 'The Mystery Woman,' someone who they can't quite figure out... I hope you realize no one can remain a mystery long when they are a public servant and must attend to the people."

"Of course, ma'am." Airili said respectfully, rather relieved that she had already made an impression and that it was a good one... maybe. "Trust me when I say I'd take my service quite seriously..."

"Lady Airili, tell me, what do you think is the best quality for a ruler to have?" the Queen asked after a moment, considering the girl thoughtfully.

"The best quality should be..." Airili's mind flooded with Thomas. He was so sweet, and such good ruler material. He always put people before himself, always his country came first. "A sense of duty. Loyalty to the kingdom you represent and the people you serve will carry you through any crisis."

"Good answer." The Queen mused, rather impressed to hear such an eloquent answer from an American commoner. 

"Thank you, ma'am." 

"Governance is not to be taken lightly. You will be bombarded daily by a hundred little decisions. Few will be glamorous, and many will weigh on you." Queen Regina stated seriously, speaking from personal experience. "Loyalty to the kingdom and to the people must guide your every decision."

"Right..." Did being queen give you the social right to spout words of wisdom randomly in a conversation? Because if so, that was an interesting perk.

"As heads of state, we have a responsibility to the people. The press acts as their eyes. We must always portray a sense of calm and dignity. If the rulers appear in control, then everyone will be reassured. Hysteria benefits nobody. Do you agree?"

"Ma'am, I believe a stoic leader makes for stoic people." Thomas regularly put on a face that didn't match the state of his heart and Airili was sure that was something Regina was proud of.

"Precisely. We must set the example, which is why we must not enable the scandal hunting impulses of the press."

"Ma'am, I hate to interrupt, but it's time to begin the game." Madeleine politely stated, gently gesturing to the elegant wristwatch she wore.

"Yes, thank you for reminding me." Regina nodded before turning to the crowd. "Everyone, please, follow me. It's time to being the ceremonial croquet match." All the ladies lined up behind the Queen and they proceeded to where the game was to be played. Since Airili was the last to be talked to, she was right behind the Queen. "Know that one of you will be the next queen, and I expect you to represent Cordonia well." The Queen stated before they stated moving. "Madeleine here has been the embodiment of dignity and devotion. It is my hope that you may all learn from her example."

"Thank you, ma'am." Madeleine said with a pleased smile. The procession came to a turn in the path and the Queen came dangerously close to bumping into Airili. Airili silently stepped back to avoid the collision and the Queen smirked with what appeared to be pride. It occurred to her that the Queen had been testing her and she felt like it was quite possible she had passed. 

A small distance away from the numerous picnic tables that had been set up, a course of croquet hoops had been set up and near the starting post, stood the man Airili had been hoping to see since they parted over an hour and a half ago. He polite greeted each lady that passed him, keeping his usual facade of calm and collected. 

As she passed, Airili politely held out her hand as she had observed other ladies do and he gently kissed her knuckles, keeping his voice low.

"Lady Airili, I'm so pleased to see you."

"Prince Thomas..." She greeted as if it were their first time meeting today, since she knew that was how she had to play. She lowered her voice and a mischievous glint filled her eyes. "Is it wrong that I want to kiss you in front of all the other ladies?"

"Maybe a little." Thomas smiled but he couldn't stop the light blush that covered the tips of his ears. "You know that'd cause a real scandal."

"That's half the fun of it." Airili chuckled and he did too. She curtsied politely.

"My lady." he grinned, giving a small bow as she continued off after the procession and he greeted the last of the straggling ladies. Airili honed her focus on the Queen, remembering the objective that Bertrand had so forcefully set for her. 

"Custom has it that the Queen and the Prince pay a round of croquet with two of the season's suitors." The Queen addressed the crowd, gesturing to her left. Thomas moved to stand next to his step-mother at her right. "I have chosen Madeleine as my partner." 

The crowd of ladies exploded into a fit of whispers.

" _She's a suitor?_ " Penelope asked, shock filling her features. 

" _Pas bon!_ " Kiara murmured, biting her lip.

" _That scheming little_..." Hypocrite. Airili finished Olivia's sentence in her head. Still as she looked at the elegant blonde standing next to the Queen, she felt the same worry. Madeleine was like if Barbie princesses were real and she certainly had more experience in court than Airili did. And she had wooed a prince before too. Based on her level headed performance next to the Queen this afternoon, she would make a prime candidate for Thomas' choice, since no matter what, he would choose what was best for his country.

"As for myself," Thomas spoke up and Airili was pulled from her thoughts. "I shall choose Lady Airili." Airili found herself smiling despite all the doubts she had found in her heart.

"Airili? But..." Olivia frowned, looking between the Prince and the lady he had called.

"Shh. The Prince has made his choice." Penelope said but she was also frowning. 

Airili, Thomas, Madeleine, and Regina all split off into their respective teams, each grabbing a mallet and standing at the beginning of the croquet course. 

"Looks like we found another way to steal a few moments." Thomas murmured with a smile and Airili found her heart pounding again as she watched Madeleine hit the ball skillfully. 

"Hey, I don't want to cause you alarm or anything, but I don't know how to play croquet." she admitted softly, swallowing thickly. 

"No worries." Thomas soothed her. "Just follow my lead. Hit your ball through the same hoop as mine, and you'll be fine." he promised and she took a deep breath and relaxed but she didn't feel very relaxed. Madeleine had added a new layer of pressure to the social season and she couldn't imagine how she was going to keep up.

"Just so we're clear, hoops are the little arch-shaped things in the ground, right?"

"Right." Thomas nodded. "Come on, we're up."

Thomas took to croquet as naturally as he seemed to with everything, it was often easy to forget that he was trained for things like this. He smoothly knocked his ball through the hoop before stepping to the side to allow Airili her shot. Airili stepped forward and the world stood still a moment. She gazed out into the crowd, seeing all the faces that expected her to fail but also those that wanted her to succeed. Hana, Bertrand, Maxwell, they were in the crowd to. Her mind drifted towards her croquet partner. Thomas was counting on her to do this. She took a deep breath, focusing on the ball and steadily tapping it through the hoop.

Her heart swelled with relieve and she looked at Thomas who was smiling at her. 

"Nice swing." he encouraged and Airili was once again on course with what mattered. Her purpose was to make sure that despite the pressures of the social season, Thomas would still smile like that every once in a while. Yes, she was sure she felt something akin to love for him but she knew he had responsibilities, and while she would let down a pair of Beaumonts if she didn't come out on top this social season, it would hurt, but she'd respect his choice. She knew what he wanted, but she also knew what he needed. 

The game continued and Madeleine and Regina spend a large amount of the game in deep conversation. The Prince was taking his shot and Airili sought the opportunity to learn more about Regina. 

"Am I interrupting anything?" Airili asked politely.

"No." Madeleine answered politely. "We were simply discussing how to best undress when meeting with ministers during the coucher."

"We do what now?" Airili asked, thinking she must've heard that wrong. 

"Oh, goodness, Madeleine. You're too funny." Regina chuckled.

"Forgive me, Airili, it was only a joke." Madeleine smiled. "I hope you won't begrudge us a small laugh at your expense."

"Now, let's give Airili the opportunity to speak her mind. Tell me your thoughts on governance, my dear."

"Governance..." Airili glanced at Thomas. He was so refined and gentle. Everything he did was made to look like art, and governance was the same, she was sure. "is an art lost on most."

"A sad truth." Regina agreed but something in her posture suggested that she was pleased with Airili's answer.

"Indeed." Airili smiled politely. 

"Lady Airili!" Thomas' voice sought her attention and she turned. He gestured to the end of the course and Airili gave a polite curtsy before going to take her turn. "My apologies for interrupting your conversation, but I believe it's your turn. No pressure or anything, but if you hit the peg in the center, we'll win the game!"

"That's an easy shot!" Airili mused, now feeling more comfortable with croquet after playing almost an entire game of it. "I can definitely make that." Her mind halted though as she thought about what Maxwell and Bertrand had said. She was very competitive, but this game had felt rather easy, natural, in fact. She glanced at the Queen. Would it impress her to take the game or would it offend her? Something felt off about how easy this had been, like the Queen was giving her the win. 

"You're up!" Thomas encouraged, standing to the side. 

Airili took a deep breath and hit the ball so that it collided gently with the post, signalling that the game had been won.

"I believe that means victory is ours." Thomas smiled, giving her a wink.

"I'm glad you had the guts to finish the game." Regina said seriously but with an approving smile. "Too many ladies have thrown the game on purpose to impress me. That's why I decided to make it a  _point_ to lose this match."

"You mean...?" Airili was shocked. She had been right in her hunch that it had been a little too easy.

"It was a test... and you passed. I'm sure we'll have times in the future where we'll find ourselves on opposing sides. Next time, though, I expect we won't be simply playing croquet... and I won't be holding back."

With that the Queen laid down her mallet by the center peg and those with mallets followed her example and the grounds crew started hustling to clean up.

"It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Vitalia." The Queen said politely. "You've shown yourself to be unlike many of the ladies at court, which is no small feat in my eyes."

"You honor me, ma'am." Airili said with a grin, curtsying as the Queen went on her way, turning to address the crowd once more.

"Thank you all for coming, and I look forward to seeing you at the next event." Everyone broke up to go to picnic tables as Madeleine and Regina left. 

Airili expected Thomas to leave or go around somewhere but he seemed content on following Airili's lead. With the pressure to do something he'd enjoy on, she sat at a table and he sat next to her. Hana made her way over, giving a curtsy to Thomas.

"Airili, Prince Thomas, that was well played." Hana praised with a smile.

"Thank you, Hana. Won't you sit with us?" Thomas asked, knowing that Airili and she had grown relatively close over the last two days.

"I'd love to!" Hana agreed, taking the seat next to Airili with a bright grin. Servants bustled about, leaving trays of tea, cream, and finger sandwiches on the table for them and Drake and Maxwell made their way to the table.

"Hey! We finally get to eat!" Maxwell grinned, sitting next to Hana and popping a sandwich into his mouth.

"If you can call this eating." Drake sighed heavily as he sat between Thomas and Maxwell.

"Drake, you WOULD complain about free gourmet food." Airili shook her head but smiled as she teased him.

"I'm just saying I'm simple..." Drake defended, smiling despite the tease. 

"I don't think anyone would argue with that." Airili quietly raised a teacup as if to toast him and took a polite sip. Thomas smirked, watching his friend keenly to see how he'd respond. Drake simply shook his head, but a small smile still played on his lips. 

"What I mean is... Give me a ninety-nine cent burger any day over some escargot aioli."

"Escargot aioli?" Hana asked in shock. "But how would you...?"

"It was just a joke, Hana."

"Oh." Hana frowned quietly.

"Anyway, onto the big question!" Maxwell changed subjects, trying to make Hana feel better. "Airili, do you think you impressed the Queen?"

"Well, I think I impressed her." Airili said honestly, but Regina was a hard one to read, she had no idea if that were actually the case.

"Fantastic." Maxwell leaned back in his chair, grinning. "It's like watching a bird learn to fly on its own." Airili looked at Thomas and he raised his eyebrows.

"Do you think the Queen approves of me?" 

"Yes, I think you performed quite gracefully in front of her." Thomas admitted, smiling reassuringly. 

"Enough about Airili." Drake sighed, glaring at Maxwell who was putting another finger sandwich into his mouth. "All the little sandwiches are gone, and I'm still starving."

"Not to worry, there's more food waiting for us back at the palace." Maxwell assured, pretending that he hadn't eaten most of the sandwiches.

"I could really go for a cronut right now." Airili admitted and the group around the table stared at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"A what?" Thomas asked, intrigued. 

"I think you mean donut, Airili." Hana suggested.

"You haven't heard of cronuts before?" Airili asked in shock.

"Can't say that I have." Maxwell answered and the rest of the group shook their heads.

"Really?" Airili hummed. "Okay, guys, we have a critical problem to fix. None of you have had cronuts."

"Please tell me it doesn't have anything to do with crows." Maxwell frowned.

"It's the sumptuous inside of a croissant mixed with the glazed outside of a donut. It's one of the best pastries ever invented."

"It sounds...  _American._ " Maxwell commented, not sure what other word would best fit that description. 

"From New York with love!" Airili answered. "We have to get some!"

"While that sounds like quite an adventure..." Thomas smiled but it quickly faded into a frown. "I don't think the schedule will allow for it."

"Then how about a little jailbreak tonight? Think we can sneak out of the palace and go on a cronut run?" Airili suggested, watching as the gears in Thomas' head began turning. "I'm pretty sure I saw them in a window at a nearby bakery while we were driving here..."

"That  _does_ sound like fun..." Hana agreed, looking to the rest of the group.

"Very tempting." Thomas agreed, taking in a deep breath. "Are you sure you want to do this, Airili?"

"Guys, meet me out front once it gets dark!" Airili beamed. "It's time to have an adventure!"

"I'm with Airili." Thomas agreed, raising a brow at the rest of the group.

"Me too!" Maxwell chimed.

"Finally, we'll have some fun away from the palace." Drake let out a sigh of relief. 

"New food sounds like a treat." Hana agreed.

"It's on, then!" Airili beamed. 

The rest of the picnic was rather slow. They crowd thinned as the sandwiches dwindled to low numbers and soon everyone was back at home. It had taken what felt like forever for the sun to set and Airili put on some normal clothes. A black tank top, a pair of jeans, and a pair of converse made her outfit and she stood out by the fountain outside the palace as she waited for the group that slowly grew. The only one who hadn't arrived yet was Thomas.

"Prince Thomas is taking a while." Maxwell mused, sighing softly as he tossed a pebble into the fountain out of boredom.

"He's the prince." Drake pointed out, laying in the grass and looking up at the stars. "We'll be lucky if he can sneak out at all."

"There he is!" Hana pointed with a smile.

"You made it!" Airili grinned as he came running towards them. 

"It's been a while since I've had to sneak out my own bedroom window..." Thomas admitted with a grin. "I nearly fell into the rose bushes, but I stand before you unscathed."

"And now the real adventure begins!" Airili mused as she guided them through the palace gates and the streets of the beautiful town to the bakery. The bakery was a hop, skip and a jump away from the beach and so it wasn't too terribly difficult to find. 

"Is it just me, or is it more fun to be out at night when you're also breaking the rules?" Maxwell asked, grinning. 

"It's more fun when you know you're headed to something delicious!" Hana suggested, sharing the same grin as Maxwell.

"After a day spent answering to the press and the Queen, this is the sweetest freedom." Thomas admitted, breathing in the evening air as if it were different from what he was used to in the palace.

"And it's about to get sweeter." Airili stated, pausing in front of the bakery. Maxwell pushed open the door quickly. 

"We need all of your finest cronuts, please!" he announced to the quiet, nearly empty shop. 

"I think you're supposed to go to the counter, not just shout from the doorway." Hana told him with a giggle.

"Like normal people." Drake commented as he passed Maxwell.

"I'll handle this. You guys take a seat." Airili instructed and they picked a table and sat down as she went up to the counter and ordered. The baker gave her a small tray and she carried the cronuts to the table, sitting down next to Thomas. The normality of the situation clicked when she felt Thomas rest his arm on the back of her chair and she leaned a little closer to him, smiling the same shy smile that he had.

"Well, these look delicious." Thomas admitted, drawing attention away from how they were seated and to the pastries that Airili had blessed them with instead.

"What's more important is how they taste." Drake commented dryly. "Let me at 'em."

Everyone reached for a cronut and when everyone had one they looked at Airili.

"All together?" she suggested and they nodded.

"One..." Thomas began the count.

"Two..." Hana continued.

"Th--" Drake was about to count off but he was interrupted by Maxwell.

"Delicious!"

"Maxwell!" Drake scolded, playfully swatting the back of his head. 

"I regret nothing." Maxwell mumbled with a giggle. "Mmmmmmm... Flaky, crusty, glazed cloud of flavor..."

"I really must take some of these back home. I've never tasted anything so light and fluffy and sweet!" Hana mused, smiling. 

"This rivals the finest pastries from the palace chefs. Even Drake is smiling." Thomas pointed out, grinning.

"What? I like a good dessert." Drake defended, leaning back in his chair. "Who doesn't?"

"The last time I had something  _this_ good, Bertrand hired a pastry chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant to make his birthday cake." Maxwell admitted, rubbing his belly.

"Wait a second. Are you saying that Bertrand used to actually have fun?" Airili asked, looking at Maxwell like her whole world had been thrown around.

"Heh." Maxwell chuckled at her reaction. "Yeah, he wasn't always like he is now."

"There was a time when Bertrand would've been here with us tonight." Thomas said thoughtfully.

"Really?"

"Yes. We were all close, once. But he's grown distant the past few years..." Thomas admitted with a regretful frown.

"Aw, Bertrand's gonna be fine." Maxwell promised Thomas, patting his shoulder. "He's just sorting some things out. You know what? I'll even bring him back a cronut."

"That's sweet of you." Hana admired.

"It's a noble thought, but we'll see if that cronut actually makes it back to the palace..." Drake mused, chuckling to himself.

"I hope you're not implying I'd  _eat_ my brother's cronut..." 

"Wouldn't you?" Drake countered, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge him. Maxwell was silent for a moment before blushing and standing down.

"Well, it's the thought that counts anyway, right?"

"I can't believe mine's gone already." Hana admitted, looking slightly dazed. "It was delicious."

"What did I tell you?" Airili smirked. "Have faith in me."

"That was a treat!" Maxwell agreed. "Thanks, Airili."

"We should sneak out more often." Drake suggested, a mischievous grin overtaking his features.

"I wish I could." Thomas admitted, chuckling. They must've spent close to three hours there, talking and laughing and just enjoying each other's company outside of courtly life. To any onlookers, they would've appeared to be a normal group of friends. Hana was the first to speak up, noticing a clock on the wall ticking its way to midnight.

"Wow, it's gotten late..." Hana frowned, wishing the night could continue.

"We should be getting back." Thomas agreed, slowly standing with a soft sigh.

"Don't want the kingdom to panic over a missing prince?" Airili teased and he chuckled.

"Precisely. I've already been gone for quite some time."

"Historians will tell of the day when Cordonia nearly collapsed because the Prince went out for cronuts." Drake said in a dramatic voice that would rival the intensity of most narrators in movie trailers.

"Okay, maybe it's not that bad," Thomas amended with a chuckle, "but we should still head back to the palace."

Everybody thanked the baker and made their way out of his shop to walk across the sand-speckled sidewalk on their trek back to the palace. Airili paused when she spotted someone behind them in the distance doing what could only be described as lurking. She was about to panic but then she recognized him. Thomas noticed her fascination and looked to spot him as well.

"Bastien?" Thomas asked his bodyguard with a shocked expression. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let your go out without security, Prince Thomas." Bastien explained, holding his hands behind his back and bowing slightly.

"But how did you even know?" Thomas asked, a frown appearing on his features.

"Please, Your Highness." Bastien chuckled. "I was assigned to your brother before this. I've seen every trick in the book."

"I'm sorry to have troubled you." Thomas apologized sincerely.

"Like I said, I was assigned to your brother. Compared to him, you're hardly any trouble at all." Bastien smiled, patting Thomas' back. "But..."

"But we should be getting back." Thomas finished the sentence, still looking rather sad.

"You go on ahead." Bastien encouraged. "I'll trail behind and keep an eye on things."

"Thank you, Bastien." Thomas' smile returned and he and the group started back on their way home.

"My pleasure."

Airili naturally fell into pace with Thomas, lingering a little behind the others, but far enough in front of Sebastian that it wasn't terribly suspicious. 

"This was an excellent idea." Thomas mused, looking at her with a content expression.

"I thought we could all use a little fun."

"It's more than that, it's... really seeing everything." He gestured to the shops and beach around him. "It's strange. I'm the potential leader of my own country, yet there's so much of it I haven't experienced."

"Well... You're busy most of the time." Airili pointed out gently. "With all the stately dinners and ministers to wrangle, it's understandable."

"I suppose..." Thomas frowned, shoulders sinking a little. "I only wish the statesmen's bubble wasn't so thick. Being an icon of sorts robs me of certain luxuries. Like visiting people, going out with friends... Spending time with you."

"Thomas..." Airili smiled tenderly. "you know you should be fair to the other ladies."

"Maybe I don't have to when I'm outside the palace." Thomas smiled back.

"Ohh, scandalous." Airili teased, smirking. 

"Airili, thank you for another rare glimpse beyond my princely world." 

"Hey!" Maxwell looked behind his shoulder and crossed his arms as he continued walk but backwards. "You two are falling behind. Catch up or we'll leave you!"

"Looks like we better close the distance." Thomas chuckled but it sounded lonely. 

"But not too fast. I want to hang onto these precious moments." Airili suggested and Thomas smiled.

"I will oblige, my lady."

They caught up to the group easily enough and spent the rest of the trip back laughing under the stars, streetlights, and the moon. Airili could tell that Thomas was having a hard time, but with what she could only imagine. Being a prince was something she wasn't exactly familiar with. The group said their goodbyes inside the palace, and they all headed to bed.

The next morning, Airili woke to the usual noise: insistent knocking. She put on a tee-shirt and shorts and answered the door to find Maxwell and Bertrand; the usual sight.

"Rise and shine, Airili!" Maxwell greeted with a smile and jazz hands.

"Nnngh?" she rubbed her eyes, brushing her hair out of her face with her hands.

"I'll assume that was the appropriate morning greeting followed by the proper use of my title." Bertrand sighed heavily.

"Why are you both here so early? And how are you so cheerful?" Airili questioned, unable to completely brush the sleep from her mind.

"We just heard where the next social event will be, and if we're going to arrive there with everyone else, we should get packed. It's going to be fuuuun!" Maxwell grinned, scooting into her room and pulling out her suitcase from her closet.

"Where are we going?" Airili asked through another yawn, starting to gather her toiletries. 

"To the northern region of Cordonia," Maxwell answered, pointing epicly in the direction and with a dramatic voice he continued, "to the snow!"

"Snow?" Airili asked with a smile. "I love snow!"

"I wouldn't celebrate so soon." Bertrand said seriously, sitting in an armchair as he waited for Maxwell and Airili to finish packing her things. "The family that's hosting us up there, the place we're staying at, belongs to the Lythikos duchy..."

"That means?" Airili prompted him to expand, zipping up her suitcase. 

"That you're about to go straight into Olivia's home territory. If you want to get time with Prince Thomas, you're going to have to beat her at her own game." Bertrand explained in his usual impatient tone.

"...Crap."


	7. Fire and Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm back. And excited to continue this. While I'm not as excited about this chapter, I do feel that it paints a decent picture of the mysterious man that is Drake.

Traveling away from the palace was exciting, but it also meant a four hour car ride. The moment the snow capped mountains came to view, Airili could almost not bring herself to care about the fact that Olivia would be taking advantage of her ability to isolate her from society as much as possible. They passed a lovely little village, buried under three feet of snow that was nearly invisible during the day, and twenty minutes later they arrived at Olivia's tastefully expensive home. It called appeal to the elegance of traditional Cordonian architecture, something befitting a royal family, and certainly succeeding at making Airili's apartment raised childhood seem like the very building would laugh at her humble origins. There were a few modern renovations done to it, but Airili was absolutely certain that this building had been a part of Cordonia's history for untellable years.

The moment the car stopped, Airili excitedly stepped out of it, simply happy to be able to stretch her legs since Bertrand had insisted on no potty breaks. The cold immediately nipped at her nose and yet she couldn't bring herself to care as she witnessed the majesty of vista that Olivia's chateau had been built to overlook. Maxwell stood by her side only a moment later after ensuring his panicking brother that he would watch over her during the few days that they were staying since Bertrand would not be in this part of the country and to his horror not in charge of the star-struck American commoner who seemed to defy him with every whim. Drake and Hana made their way to stare over the viewpoint as well.

"Here we are..." Maxwell announced, taking in a frosting breath and releasing it with an almost contented sigh. "Welcome to Lythikos! Land of ice, snow and mountains."

"This is where Olivia lives?"Airili asked in disbelief, it was hard to believe that Olivia had chosen to inherit the cruelty of the cold rather than the content comforts that living in such a winter wonderland would bring.

"Some of the time, yeah." Maxwell confirmed, catching a snowflake on his hand with a simple smile. "She's primarily at Lythikos Hall, which is further south, but she'll host us up here for the social season, so we can take advantage of the snowy festivities..." The comment almost made Olivia sound generous, but Airili had learned well from the last few days that Olivia probably couldn't do anything without an ulterior motive.

"And so she can take advantage of the Prince?" she added with a hint of disapproval but also envy in her voice. What she'd give for a night with Thomas back in New York without the rules and demands of court.

"She  _does_ have the edge here," Hana agreed, "but that's no reason to admit defeat!"

"That's the spirit." Maxwell encouraged, patting Airili's back.

"What happened to your brother, Maxwell?" Drake asked, noticing that the Duke of Ramsford was not among the other more important nobility, making his presence known. "I notice he's not around lecturing Vitalia. I thought he hated to miss out on the chance to eat fancy food and rub elbows with the royals..."

"Bertrand was called away for some business having to do with our estate." Maxwell admitted, frowning a little. He had been hoping that the sophistication that Olivia's hosting usually provided would take some of the edge off Bertrand's worries, but since he would not be having any involvement with the next few days, that was too much to dream.

"Bertrand is gone?" Airili had been too involved in exiting the car and taking in the view to notice his absence. "I already miss his protocol pop quizzes." she said causing the group to chuckle.

"If you really want, I can quiz you on how to best stand behind a chair..." Maxwell offered with a playful grin.

"Please don't." Drake said with a small groan. "We're about to have such a nice time."

"I agree. It's beautiful out here..." Hana pitched in, gesturing gracefully to the valley below and then shivering. "Even if it is so very  _cold_!"

"Didn't you pack anything warmer?" Drake asked in disbelief, clearing his throat and gesturing to the gray winter coat and the black gloves he had already clad himself in.

"...Not exactly." Hana admitted with a frown. "I didn't realize it'd be snowing quite this much... but I'll survive. What say we check out the inside of the chateau?"

"Good idea." Maxwell agreed enthusiastically. "Airili, let's go! I can show you where your room is..." 

He skipped through the snow, offering his arm to guide her up the front steps and then down a dark hall to the left corner of the foyer. The inside was just as beautiful as the outside. While the Royal Palace prided itself on steeping it's walls, floors, and ceilings in Cordonian masterpieces, art, and beauty while also never straying far from Cordonia's history, the Nevrakis Chateau had a more modern tone, only reminiscing of the ancient majesty that seemed to cover every part of this small but ethereal land. The chandeliers in every room were covered in dozens of long, slender crystals resembling icicles. All the rugs were expensive furs and all the curtains generously embroidered and thick. It was obvious that Olivia enjoyed flaunting her wealth.

"Come on, Airili!" Maxwell encouraged. "Put your stuff down, so we can go!" He sounded like an excited puppy dog being offered a walk and a round of fetch.

"What's your rush?" Airili asked curiously, raising an eyebrow and carefully setting her luggage on the silver gilded luggage rack in her room. Maxwell was at the window, resembling a puppy more and more with every moment.

"We've got an entire day in the snow planned out!" Maxwell admitted before sobering only slightly. "Plus, I already see Olivia and Thomas out there on the ice. Better put on something warm..." It was his last piece of advice before he left her room and went skipping to his own next door to follow his own wisdom.

Airili pulled out a light gray turtleneck and put it on over the pink tank top she'd been wearing before. She dug out her coat of choice that she had picked before leaving the palace. It was tan and with a wavy peplum instead of the standard straight edges. She'd also grabbed a scarf with a variety of sized strips running along it in pink, blue, a light gray, and a lighter tan than her jacket. She wore thick yoga pants that disguised themselves as jeans and a pair of winter boots that matched her coat with little pom-poms hanging off the cuffs. And last but not least, a pair of soft but warm off-white gloves. She examined herself in the mirror with excitement, all in all, a very fashionable winter outfit that was better at keeping her warm than anything she'd been able to afford on her joke of a paycheck.

"Here we go." she murmured to herself before leaving the room and heading down to the lake where a group of nobles were braving the ice in the name of wintery festivities. Maxwell was now donned in a sleek, black winter coat with matching gloves, though the lack of color in his ensemble did nothing to diminish the bright and raw excitement that he was displaying.

Maxwell guided her to a bench that had been swept of snow long before her arrival and they both put on a pair of skates. These weren't the type that she was used to but there was something beautiful about them; the blades were lightly etched in simple scrolling. It was a detail you'd never notice from afar, but something she couldn't help but admire while she noticed. These were like normal rentals, inside these were the kind you put over the shoes you were already wearing, secured by three well placed straps at the ball of the foot, right before the heel, and around the ankles. The straps were make with what Airili could only imagine was the most expensive leather she'd ever touched and ever would touch in her life. She put them on carefully, making sure they were completely secure.

"You know how to ice skate, right?" Maxwell questioned, realizing only now that like many other aspects that came naturally for nobles because of how much they were regularly exposed to them that she might not have that same experience.

"Ice skating?" Airili asked with an excited smirk. "Watch me skate circles around you!" Ice skating had been a treat when she was younger, one she did not get to enjoy often but at least once a year her mom would scrape up enough money for her to enjoy a trip to the ice rink. Maxwell grinned.

"Be my guest." he stepped back to allow her on the ice first. The ice was already dotted with couples gliding across the frozen lake's smooth surface, among them was Kiara and Penelope, and most notably Thomas and Olivia. And Olivia was gloating with a big smile as she wrapped her arms around Thomas' at the center of the lake in very small circles.

"...Don't tell me you've forgotten just how well I can skate." she managed to hear Olivia saying to Thomas with a bright, princess-like smile. Her hair was in an elegant bun and two dangly silver earrings. She wore a white cabled sweater with two black rims around the collar as well as a pair of black suede pants and two very expensive looking white, leather skates.

Thomas was dressed in a black slim, wool waistcoat with a simple tan pair of pants, a light blue, knitted scarf, and a pair of nice leather gloves.

"Oh, I very much remember..." Thomas promised with his usual painted smile which few at court could distinguish as such. 

"Remember to keep your eyes on the prize..." Maxwell's voice pulled her out of her focus on their conversation. "Now, get out there and grab some time with the Prince while I distract Olivia." He started waving in his usual excited manner. "Olivia, you gotta see me do a spin! Don't move!" 

To Airili's complete surprise, Maxwell actually grabbed her attention. He shot Airili a wink before bumping his hip against hers and sending her gliding across the ice in Thomas' direction.

"Go get 'em, princess!" He cheered before starting on his own task.

"Whoa!" Airili had been surprised by the momentum she had not caused but quickly composed herself at the first instance she felt the thrilling chilled breeze of her speed whirl past her face. She sailed over to Thomas,  turning mid way to change directions and skate with him instead of at him.

"Lady Airili, a pleasure to see you, as always." Thomas let a real smile slip for a moment. "You're a vision of grace on those skates."

"Thank you!" Airili appreciated the compliment since her mother never really commented on how well or not she did. Mostly due to the fact that skating day for her had always either been another day at work for her busy mother, or a day where the woman who worked to support and raise her napped at home while her daughter had a field day out on the ice.

"I take it you've come to skate with me today?" He asked, voice going into a conspiratorial whisper that only she could hear.

"That was my hope." Airili admitted with a smile, gliding an appropriate distance beside him. Another real smile appeared on his lips. 

"Then please, accompany me." He encouraged, offering his gloved hand for her to hold though he knew she hardly needed it. It was too tempting an offer to resist and she happily took his hand, smiling when he entwined their fingers.

"Gladly." She agreed, finding skating alongside the prince refreshingly natural to her as opposed to playing croquet. 

"You look very lovely today." Thomas admitted with a smile. "And warm."

"Yeah, definitely glad I put on this coat." she agreed, imagining that her day in the snow would be incredibly less fun if she had gone out in only the tank-top she had arrived in. "Do you and the court come out here regularly?"

"Not often. However, when we do, Olivia's always been generous by having us at her estate." he mused, eyes finding their way to the very nice house on the hill. "But actually, I used to come out here frequently when I was younger. Olivia and I would play in the snow together..."

"You and Olivia, huh?" Although Airili honestly couldn't enjoy Olivia's company, it was obvious that she meant something to Thomas and she wanted to understand. "Tell me more about that." Thomas quietly thought for a moment. 

"We'd build little snow forts on the bank and 'catapult' snowballs at each other." He recalled, looking around at what must have been through his eyes dozens of spots where he had created great and bittersweet memories. "The lake was too dangerous to play on since we were young, but sometimes, we'd sneak onto the ice in hopes that we could see fish beneath the surface. We never did, but we had many exciting false finds."

"You two must've been close." It wasn't jealousy that painted her voice. Airili knew that Thomas was going to pick whomever the people, court, and he deemed to be best suited to rule Cordonia alongside him, and although he had a close childhood with Olivia, the fiery redhead didn't possess enough levelheaded conversation or compassion to be his choice.

"We were..." Thomas admitted, eyes saddening as he glanced at an irritated Olivia skating around chasing Maxwell. "It's been hard watching her, well, become who she is. I know Olivia can be a tough person to get along with."

"She's basically the opposite of you." Airili agreed though it brought her no joy to say those words.

"Olivia had a difficult childhood." Thomas explained, giving her hand a squeeze. "Her parents were killed in a political assassination when she was only five years old. She was alone, without family at her estate for the better part of a year before my parents and I officially visited." A protective fury filled his features. "She was supposed to be in the care of her great aunt, but the woman had left to summer on the Riviera, abandoning her... Olivia didn't have anyone. She was so alone."

"Didn't she have servants?" Airili asked, concerned. It was hard to believe that any relative would like a five year old girl to fend completely on her own in a house several miles from an actual town. Thomas' face morphed into sadness rather than anger.

"The servants were doing their best, but they were traditionalists, Nevrakis-family trained for decades. After a lifetime of holding the nobility up on a pedestal, they weren't prepared to give her what she needed most... Love. The first few days of our visit, she was sullen and withdrawn. I thought she hated me. But one night, I heard her sobbing through the wall. I actually believed it was a ghost, at first, but once I got over my fear and decided to investigate, there she was..." Thomas' voice was filled with a lot of sadness and regret. Airili could understand it perfectly, nobody deserved such a cold childhood, no matter the person they were today. "Little five-year-old Olivia, weeping and clutching one of her mother's gowns, saying over and over again, 'Come back. Please come back.' I knelt beside her and held her until she cried herself to sleep. I knew we couldn't leave her there. I convinced my parents to invite her to live at the palace with us. For almost two months, she wouldn't leave my side. Just about drove Drake crazy, actually but --"

Seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly Olivia was in front of them with a disapproving frown.

"That Maxwell is a persistent one." She sighed heavily.

"He can be high energy." Thomas agreed with an amused smile.

"Yes... I can tell." Olivia looked at Airili and Thomas' hands entwined before shooting Airili a smile that felt more like when a predator bars its fangs. "So, Airili, I bet you've never seen a countryside this spectacular. Aren't you impressed?"

"Impressed?" Airili was rather surprised by the turns that Olivia was navigating the conversation but by no means uncomfortable now that she understood Olivia a lot better. She smiled sincerely. "Actually, it's gorgeous. Your home is truly lovely. The snow, the lake, the trees... It's absolutely breathtaking." she admitted truthfully. Olivia had been expecting a different answer and it was obvious by the surprise on her features.

"...Oh. Well, yes. It is." She smiled an almost genuine smile. "I'm glad even someone like you can appreciate the elegance and splendor of nature." She wrapped her arm around Thomas' again and Airili took is a a signal to let Thomas go for now. While Thomas and Olivia may have had a close relationship, Airili didn't feel insecure about it any longer due to Thomas' stories. "Now, Prince Thomas, I believe you owe me a round across the lake."

"Excuse me, Airili... I do owe her... I will see you later." Thomas murmured softly. Airili gave a polite wave and they skated off. Olivia let go of Thomas' arm to instead hold his hand. But again, Airili didn't feel upset or threatened by the move. Instead she turned her attention to a few of the other nobles skating rather poorly and Kiara rather ungracefully sliding across the lake on her stomach while a few nobles tried to chase after her.

"Ooofff!!" It was Kiara who had tried to get up and only managed to fall on her face again. She was wearing a sleek black coat with white embroidery around the cuffs and a pair of blue jeans.

"I don't think I can balance on these." Penelope admitted nervously as she continued shake and shiver in a lilac dyed wool coat with light gold waves rushed around the waist in elegant embroidery.

"This ice hasn't even been resurfaced!" Tariq shouted in distress, wearing a light gray coat and some matching leather gloves. "My skates are too expensive for this."

Hana was of course not plagued by the clumsy uncertainties of most of the court and appeared in front of Airili while skating circles around her with a frown.

"Looks like Olivia stole Thomas from you."

"Olivia?" Airili had forgotten that people could probably see that. "It's fine. Thomas has obligations. I don't take it personally."

"That's level-headed of you." Hana mused with a smile and Airili simply gave a shrug. Hana twirled like she was born on the ice before coming to a full stop next to her friend.

"Where'd you learn to skate like that?" Airili wondered out loud with awe. "It couldn't have been with the other ladies." As if to make her point, a small thunk sounded off.

"Oowwww!!" It was Kiara again. "Mon posterieur!"

"Ice skating is one of the things my parents sent me to lessons for." Hana admitted with a soft sigh.

"That's an unusual choice. I had soccer and basketball practice." Airili confessed, leaving out of course that these were school programs that she used to give her mom as much time as she needed to get off of work and pick her up from school.

"It's a skill I learned to appeal to suitors. I was told 'a display of elegance can go a long way.'"

"This was part of your training... But do you even like ice skating?" Airili asked with a concerned brow raised.

"Oh, you know... it's okay." Hana shrugged.

"That's not very convincing." Airili frowned.

"When my parents were selecting my activities, whether or not I enjoyed something wasn't a factor they considered." Hana said as if it was just a fact of life. "Now I find myself with all sorts of skills that I honestly haven't much interest in."

Olivia and Thomas glided past them before coming to a stop.

"All right, everyone." She announced in a perfect hostess voice. "It's time to hit the slopes."

"Dieu merci." Kiara gave a relieved smile, making her way five feet to get off the ice.

"Skiing must be easier than this... right?" Penelope asked hopefully to Kiara, following her off the ice.

"Finally, a use for that professional ski equipment I bought three years ago." Tariq mused with awe in his voice. Hana and Airili exchanged a shrug and then got off the ice to take off their skates. They followed Olivia to the ski lifts and got on.

Airili was amazed by the gorgeous view that the top of the slope provided of Olivia's home, off in the distance. Drake appeared seemingly out of nowhere and skied up next to her.

"So, Vitalia, you finally made it to the slopes." The sentence was said rather ominously but it was nothing unusual for Drake as far as his greetings to here were concerned. And any venom that would've been implied was void when she spotted the smile on his face.

"What's wrong, Drake?" Airili smirked back. "Were you starting to miss me?"

"Hardly." Drake chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I was just getting bored."

"You didn't go skating?" Airili asked, innocently batting her eyelashes, but she knew the answer.

"Figure skating isn't really my thing."

"Really?" she feigned shock at his predictability before leaning in and whispering conspiratorially. "I think you'd look good in a tutu."

"Some mental images aren't worth the effort." Drake mused but an amused smile graced his lips.

"I suppose skiing is manly enough for you."

"I'd hardly call what's going on here skiing. But I'm looking to change that." Drake stated matter-of-factly while a excited glint appeared in his eyes. "How about a race?"

"What makes you think I can ski?" Airili questioned with a smirk.

"Maybe I'm starting to have faith in you, Vitalia."

"Drake..." Airili was actually surprised by that. "You're scaring me with your... niceness."

"I'm scaring myself." he retorted with a smile. "Anyway, I'm going to start skiing down this slope in a minute, and if I get to the bottom before you... Well, let's just say I'm calling that a win, and I might never let you hear the end of it. Ready... set... Don't wipe out!"

Drake charged off with a forceful push of his ski poles, launching himself down the slope.

"Hey!" Airili yelled after him, copying his motion and starting down the hill as well. She had poles to keep her balanced and she could guess the basics of skiing. It might not be something she knew much about, but she was determined to not get crap for something that wasn't her fault for the rest of her time in Cordonia. 

Drake was easily ten feet ahead of her with no real changes as they started off their impromptu race. But Airili found the cold breeze rushing past her face to be just as enjoyable as it was ice skating. Off to the side, Thomas and Olivia were skiing carefreely to the bottom but something about her conversation with Thomas earlier had changed how she'd usually feel about this. 

"Oh Thomas, you're so  _hilarious_..."

Airili simply skied past, much more determined to not give Drake anything to tease her with rather than get involved in something that she no longer considered threatening. She had her eyes focussed on her route and not far down there was a fallen tree laying in the way. Drake masterfully swerved around it, But Airili wasn't entirely sure how to do that. so instead she steered herself where the most snow covered it and hoped for the best.

"Watch yourself, Vitalia!" Drake shouted, worried that maybe it had been a bad idea to challenge someone he wasn't entirely sure could ski to a ski race. He was watching her over his shoulder. She sailed over the log, a good three feet in the air before landing. "Wow."

Drake had made the mistake of stopping to make sure she was okay and she bolted past him and to the bottom of the hill first with a smirk.

"I win!" She raised her hands in the air to hail her victory.

"I'm not too thrilled, but if you're going to hop a branch like that, you deserve to win." Drake said, face still displaying shock. "Nice moves, Vitalia." he smiled before sucking in a deep breath of the cold mountain air. "This trip hasn't been half bad so far. Shame that tomorrow it's back to waltzing and bowing and all that."

"At least I can ski better than I can waltz... which is barely at all." Airili frowned, running her fingers through her hair and soothing down whatever had been blown out of place.

"Wait... You can't waltz?" Drake asked in alarm. "I thought you danced with Thomas..."

"Yeah, but he did a lot of the work..." Airili sighed softly. "Why? Is it important?"

"Oh, Vitalia, Vitalia, Vitalia... What would you do without me?" Drake shook his head disapprovingly. "There's a ball tomorrow. All of the ladies are expected to dance the Cordonian Waltz in front of everyone."

"Oh..." Airili couldn't even begin to guess what that would entail. "It's fine." she bluffed with a confident smile. "I'll figure it out."

"It's very complicated." Drake smirked.

"No biggie. I've survived this far." Airili continued to bluff, but she could feel her words holding less water with every second.

"Whatever you say, Vitalia." It was quiet for a moment. 

"But let's say I'm curious..." Airili began, pressing the tips of her fingers together nervously. "How does one dance the Cordonian Waltz?"

"Sadly, I can't help you there. _I_ don't know the steps." Drake gestured to himself as if that was a pretty obvious fact from his personality and tendencies alone. "You should ask Hana. If anyone knows everything forwards and backwards, it's that one."

"Yeah... maybe." Airili frowned, wondering if Hana would help her with it at all. Hana was a sweet lady, but she did have a lot of parental pressuring to spend more time with the Prince and Airili humiliating herself on the dancefloor tomorrow... that would give her hundreds of openings. 

Drake starts heading off to the rest of the group gathering at the bottom of the slopes and Airili follows, suddenly not finding herself feeling too confident. Drake had a knack for that. Olivia cleared her throat gently, playing perfect hostess.

"It's time to head over to my spectacular lodge to warm up." She announced, leading the way to the benches to take off their skis. 

Airili sat down quietly, a new weight on her shoulders. She hardly noticed when Drake sat next to her to take off his own skis.

"Thanks for the race. I actually had fun."

"Maybe you're not as bad as you seem." Airili murmured with a soft smile. Drake had been the first person in court to bother to even tell her about the existence of the Cordonian Waltz which was much better than walking into tomorrow evening with no clue at all.

"You're going soft on me, Vitalia." He said with a smirk before giving a small grunt as he stood up and walked off with his equipment. Airili followed him, and the rest of the crowd, back to the chateau and after a mostly fun day in the snow, it felt like sweet freedom to have her coat off once she was inside.

The servants were lined by the door, several taking coats and other winter accessories and hanging them up in the closet and the rest holding trays of steaming hot, mugs of cocoa. The nobles each took one, but only a few offered thanks. There was a lovely room to the right of the foyer lined with sofas, tables, and a nice, lit fireplace. Airili, Drake, Hana, and Maxwell found themselves drawn to it, relaxing in armchairs, couches, and Drake chose his usual stance of leaning against a wall.

"Did you have fun today, Airili?" Maxwell asked curiously, looking at her with a soft smile.

"Today was super fun!" All things considered. The Cordonian Waltz was tomorrow's problem. Today she had earned the means to understand Olivia and Hana in some small way, Drake too, actually, ice skated for the first time since she was a kid, and made a rather great debut in skiing. "And now we have hot chocolate."

"This is wonderful." Hana agreed, taking a pleased sip. "Look, little marshmallows shaped like hearts!"

"Just... just adorable." Drake groaned miserably from his place on the wall.

"Watch yourself..." Maxwell warned, nicking his head in the direction of one of the halls. "We've got incoming."

"Well, hello, my dear guests. I hope you're enjoying my spectacular hosting." 

"I always enjoy my time here with you, Olivia..." Maxwell said seriously, though Airili couldn't begin to imagine if he was sincere or polite.

"It's... something." Drake agreed out loud. Olivia's eyes fell on Drake and her lips managed a thin smile that did not reach her narrowed eyes.

"Did you see that we have eclairs, Drake?" She asked sweetly. "They always remind me of dear, darling little  _Savannah_. She'd gobble them down like a sow at the trough."

"Don't talk about my sister." It wasn't until this point in her tour with the court that she realized that Drake hadn't been cold to her before, he'd been reserved and cautious. This tone was something that actually made Airili think that it was warmer outside in the snow than it was with a cup of cocoa and a nearby fireplace.

"Why ever not?" Olivia asked innocently. "She was such a fixture at court, and then she just up and disappeared. You never told us what happened, and usually gossip is quick to spread."

"She left because of people like you." It was a sudden outburst that left the room quiet for a moment. Olivia seemed to be choosing her words but she did manage to look at least a little regretful.

"She always was the sensitive sort." Olivia's eyes found Airili and she practically smirked. "Ladies like that don't last long here."

Airili couldn't be bothered to watch Olivia, her eyes fixed on Drake. He clenched his jaw. And Airili was sure he'd start shouting at Olivia in earnest but instead he did the unexpected; he checked his watch and relaxed his shoulders.

"You know what?" Drake said calmly. "I just remembered, I've got somewhere I need to be. If you'll excuse me..." and with that he gave a bow to Airili, Hana and Olivia and he made his way to the foyer, grabbed his coat and slammed the front door behind him.

"Wait, Drake, dear!" She called after him before he officially left. "Come back! I wasn't finished with you!"

"Olivia..." Airili spoke quietly. She knew why Olivia behaved this way and reminded herself of it before she lost her cool. "Tell me about Drake's sister."

"There's not much to tell." Olivia shrugged, eyes pulling away from the foyer to settle on Airili. "She thought she could fit in with the nobility... and she was wrong. I guess she figured that out faster than  _some_ , and took her leave. Though by all accounts, it was rather sudden. Overnight, she packed up her things and disappeared without a word. Now, as charming as this has been, I've got to get back to Prince Thomas. I've promised him a private tour of the Lythikos castle. Bye bye, darlings!"

With a wink, Olivia left as suddenly as she had arrived but the once cheerful atmosphere of the room did not return. Airili turned to Hana and Maxwell with concerned eyes.

"I can't believe the things Olivia says..." Hana spoke quietly, frowning as she stared into her hot chocolate.

"Yeah..." Airili agreed. Olivia may have had the crappiest childhood here, and this place probably served as a constant reminder of it, but it did feel like Olivia had gone too far. "Maxwell, do you have any idea what happened to Drake's sister?"

"Not really..." Maxwell admitted, looking rather sad. "It's like Olivia said. Savannah used to hang out with us, but one day, she left. I'm not sure why. The last time I saw her, she was her usual friendly self... Anyway, Drake clearly didn't want to talk about it, so I don't pry."

"Poor Drake." Hana pouted, fingertip tracing the edge of her mug as she stared off into the foyer.

"Yeah, he doesn't usually let Olivia get under his skin like that..." Maxwell stated with a small frown.

"Well, I hope he's all right, I saw him go outside, but it's not a good idea to be out there right now." Hana was anxious, standing to look out the window. "I've heard there's a storm brewing tonight... What can he be thinking?"

Airili set her own mug down and looked out the window with Hana, but the bright, cheery day that had been present was now being threatened but a setting sun and a hoard of black clouds starting to crawl over the mountains in their direction. The glass was freezing to the touch and the sky too eerie for Airili to ignore.

"There's only one way to find out..." Airili murmured, making her way to the foyer.

"You mean you're thinking about following him?" Hana asked in shock, her and Maxwell both following her to the foyer and watching in horror as she put on her coat, scarf, boots, and gloves.

"I'm not wearing this jacket for nothing. I'm going to see what he's doing." She said determinedly, giving a small wave before heading outside and following Drake's tracks as snow started to fall from the sky. 

It was freezing and Airili wrapped the coat a little tighter around herself. Drake wasn't too far. He was standing in a clearing, staring blankly into the woods.

"Hey, Drake." Airili greeted quietly, moving to stand next to him.

"Airili?" Drake was shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you going off on your own, close to dark with a storm coming, and... I wanted to see what you were doing." she admitted, crossing her arms as if to defend her claim but it also helped her keep warmer.

"So you're keeping tabs on me?" Drake scoffed.

"Even you have to admit that it's a little suspicious to be out here 'taking care' of something right now." Drake was quiet for a moment before sighing.

"I want to be mad about this, but I really can't be." He ruffled his hair. "Maybe I'm even a little impressed.

"What did you come out here to do, exactly?" Airili asked with an eyebrow raised pointedly.

"If you really want to know... you'll have to trust me."

"Trust you?" she questioned, surprised by the sentence. "I'd trust you with my life. I mean, Thomas trusts you, after all."

"I'm glad his opinion counts for something." Drake chuckled. "Here goes..."

Drake slowly reached out his hands, fists looking like they were full of something that he was about to reveal but instead he just touched her shoulders, and shoved her hard enough that she fell.

"Hey!" She protested but she quieted when she looked up at the sky, filled with thousands of stars, bright enough that the pine trees near them stood out clearly in the darkness. So streaked across the sky and it filled her with a sense of wonder. "Drake..."

With an amused snort, he fell into the pile of snow next to her with a soft thud, looking up at the stars too.

"Yes, my lady?" Drake asked, raising an eyebrow.

"This is absolutely gorgeous." she admitted in awe.

"Nothing beats a clear view of the sky during a meteor shower." he said simply.

"I'm glad I didn't miss this." she confessed, smiling.

"Really?" Drake asked with a smirk. "Would've figured you'd rather eat bon-bons and dress up tiny dogs, or whatever Olivia had planned for the night."

"Not exactly my scene." Considering Olivia's plans for the rest of the evening was giving the Prince a private tour of her home, she very much doubted that there were other activities planned. As beautiful as the view was, soon the clouds creeped into their vision. "Looks like we were just in time to see this before the storm comes."

"Yeah. I didn't want to miss it." Drake admitted quietly. "I used to do this with my younger sister, Savannah, every year. We grew up around the royals. My dad used to do security for Thomas and his brother, and my sister and I were allowed to hang out with them. Thomas and I ended up getting close, even though I didn't have the lineage to merit it. Savannah, on the other hand, got along with everyone, and they were all friendly with her. She  _loved_ living at the palace when we were kids, being around all the pretty dresses and jewelry... But it got harder when she was older."

"What happened?" Airili asked curiously, but in a tone that offered him the choice to refuse to answer if he wanted.

"She..." His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "It was hard on her. She couldn't take it, I guess. After what happened with... I... I failed her. I couldn't protect her. I couldn't protect her from this place... or these people." Drake had been getting worked up again but he put a hand over his face and was quiet a moment. "Sorry, it's... I guess I'm still not ready to talk about it. This is more than I've talked about it with anyone in the last year, actually."

"Really?" Airili was incredibly surprised to hear that since Drake seemed like he trusted her as much as a cheese maker watching a rat sit in front of a wheel of his craft. "Does this mean we're friends now?"

"Friends... I wouldn't go that far, Vitalia."

"Should we just call it not-enemies, then?" Airili asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Drake.

"I guess I can't really stop you, can I?" There was no venom in his tone but he did seem a little annoyed by the idea still.

"Nope." she smirked victoriously. Her attention drew back to the shooting stars, what little she could still see of them, anyways. Though, it was becoming harder to tell if they were shooting stars or snowflakes anymore.

"We better get back." Drake stated with a frown. "It'd be quite the scandal if I let one of the Prince's suitors freeze to death out here on my watch."

"I'd hate for my untimely demise to cause you any difficulty." Airili smirked as they resumed the usual rhythm of their witty banter.

"Not to mention that Maxwell would never let me hear the end of it." he shuddered as if to illustrate how unpleasant that would be for him.

"I'm sure even Bertrand would be upset, in his own way." She chuckled.

"Bertrand?" Drake questioned with a chuckle. "He'd only be upset if he couldn't turn it into some kind of press event. Now, let's go."

Drake and Airili got up from the snow and started to make their way back to the front door, though it was now significantly colder and more of a task to trudge through the wind and snow.

"The next time you tell me that I'm doing something stupid, I'm going to remind you about your little walk in the blizzard." she said seriously.

"I do  _plenty_ of stupid stuff, Vitalia. I'm practically the King of Stupid." Drake smiled.

"Really?"

"Really. You just don't know me very well yet." he stated seriously. "But... maybe that'll change."

"Maybe." Airili agreed, stepping inside and sighing as the warmth of civilization covered he cheeks.

Hana was sitting on a chair in the foyer but she stood once she saw Drake and Airili and her face filled with relief.

"There you are!" she exclaimed, dusting snow off of Airili.

"You're up late." Airili observed, glancing at the clock and realizing it was nearly ten.

"I couldn't sleep." Hana confessed with a frown. "With you and Drake out there in the storm..."

"I'm sorry we kept you up." Airili said sincerely, muttering thanks as Hana assisted her out of her winter ware.

"Oh, I'm just glad you got back before it really started coming down out there!" Hana's attention turned to Drake who had been wearing a thin denim jacket rather than a proper winter coat. "But you must be freezing, Drake, dressed in just that."

"Yeah. I'm going to go get changed." Drake announced, heading up the stairs to his room. "G'night, ladies." Hana shook her head and looked at Airili

"I suppose we'd better go to sleep, too." She mused. "The Cordonian Waltz is tomorrow after all, and we'll need a good night's rest to pull it off successfully."

"I don't think any amount of sleep is going to improve my chances." Airili admitted sadly.

"What do you mean?" Hana questioned, concern filling her features.

"As Drake reminded me earlier, I don't know the waltz."

"Oh dear!" Hana looked at the clock. "It's rather late, but I suppose if you wanted to... I could show you?"

"Hana..." Airili was constantly surprised by how sweet and kind Hana was. It was refreshing. She smiled softly. "I'd love to waltz with you."

"Lovely!" Hana exclaimed, grabbing Airili's hand and guiding her to her bedroom. They worked together to push furniture out of the way so that there was enough space for dancing.

"I appreciate you helping me like this..." Airili said sincerely.

"It's the least I can do after you cheered me up at the Masquerade..." Hana replied seriously. "I'm just sorry that I didn't think to ask if you knew it. It's a good thing Drake's looking out for you."

"Yeah..."  _If you can call it that._ "Alright. The Cordonian Waltz. How complicated is this going to be?"

"It depends. Do you consider yourself a good dancer?"

"I dance like an angel." Airili stated. She may not know a lot about waltzing but highschool offered her many opportunities to explore things she wouldn't normally have gotten to experience, not to the level that court had, but she did remember joining a ballet club one year.

"Oh? Then this shouldn't be a problem. If you have a good sense of rhythm, I think you can pick it up easily enough." Hana promised. "Now, the Cordonian Waltz is a choreographed dance with specific steps. As long as you know your part for each of them, you can follow your partner easily. I'll put on some music, and we'll start..." Hana pulled a small portable speaker out of her suitcase and set it up. Soon it was playing quiet orchestral ballroom music and Hana turned her attention back to her friend. "Ready? I'll be the Prince in this situation, so you can learn your part." She squared her shoulders, back straightening just like Thomas' that it almost made her laugh, she cleared her throat and in a deep voice that didn't sound a thing like Thomas' or any gentleman from court. "Ahem. Lady Airili."

"'Prince Thomas.'" Airili managed through an amused smile. The situation felt so silly that she did an exaggerated curtsy, causing Hana to laugh while she bowed.

"Now we get into position. Let's have you put your left hand on my shoulder..." She gestured to her right shoulder and Airili tentatively set her hand there. Hana gently took Airili's right hand in her left and rested her right hand low on her hip, fingers grazing the small of her back. Somehow, Airili just knew that it was part of the dance. She started leading Airili through the first simple steps, repeating it until Airili felt confident with it. "This is the box step. It's the most basic movement and kind of like a bridge between the other steps..."

"So far so good." Airili murmured, keeping her eyes locked with Hana's since she knew that if she looked down at her feet it would just cause more problems.

"Yeah... Now the next three steps are the reverse, spin, and the twirl." Hana explained but did not immediately lead her out of the box step. "First, I'm going to lead you into the reverse." 

Hana's weight shifted, and with that, the shoulder that Airili's hand was resting on, pressed against her own, making it almost feel like an embrace. Another change was that Airili's right hip was pressed firmly against Hana's left one, their thighs now brushing together with every movement. Giving the hand she was holding a light squeeze and just barely pressing it in Airili's direction, Hana stepped forward and Airili instinctively stepped back in time with her. Soon they were at the other side of the room, shoulder's still brushing and hips and faces only inches apart.

"Perfect!" Hana praised with a proud grin.

"I mostly just followed your lead." Airili admitted with a small blush.

"That's a good thing. You're able to read me." Hana encouraged. "Did you feel when I put that slight pressure on your hand? It was a cue to move backwards..."

"Yeah... It's an interesting way of communicating..."

"Ultimately, the waltz is like a conversation."Hana explained with a smile. "You and your partner make a connection, responding to each other to make the dance work. It's kind of romantic.... Actually the Cordonian Waltz is supposed to be a courtship dance, which is undoubtedly why Olivia chose it for the formal ball tomorrow."

"A courtship dance?" Airili wondered. It was certainly a term she was unfamiliar with.

"Yeah, the last two steps are meant to be the most flirtatious..." That explained all of the closeness. "There's the  _spin_... Just relax into this..."

They went back into the box step but instead of it remaining completely the same, Hana's hand released Airili's hip as they finished a set of the step and Airili's hand on Hana's shoulder moved to grab the offered hand. Their fingers laced together for a moment before Hana's hands enveloped her own. Hana gave Airili's left hand a small squeeze before releasing it just a moment later to lift it so that it rested palm faced towards Airili. It was a quick and subtle squeeze of her other hand that was suddenly released before Airili's arm reached for Hana's raised right hand. It was secured almost immediately, and Hana quickly motioned three little halos around Airili's head, causing her to spin quickly three times when she relaxed into them. It was indeed a much easier move to perform when you relaxed. But the excitement that came from spinning around made Airili giggle.

"This feels too fun to be a formal dance... Am I doing it right?" she asked, and Hana chuckled. 

"You're doing it perfectly." Hana assured, hand immediately finding Airili's hip again and pulling her close as they fell back into the box step.

"Do you ever get a little dizzy from all the spinning?" Airili asked with a giddy smile.

"There's a trick to that... Just focus your attention on one thing..." Airili remembered hearing something like that in high school and nodded.

"Okay, I'll focus on a spot on the wall."

"That'll do it." Hana agreed. "Now for the last step, the  _twirl_..." 

They did the box step once more but the first change was during it, Hana's hand dipped an inch lower onto the small of her back when she moved through the step before sliding up her back, around her shoulder, and up her arm to the hand that had been resting on Hana's shoulder through two sets of box steps. Hana gently but firmly gripped Airili's hands, bringing one up over her head and arching it until her arms were entined around her and Airili's back rested firmly against Hana's front. She held that position for a moment and the music faded for a moment only to start back up again, Hana then released one of Airili's hands and twirled her away from her before releasing her hands to demonstrate just how the dance switched partners.

"... and that's the Cordonian Waltz." Hana announced with a dramatic bow. "If you know those steps, you'll be more than fine. How do you feel about dancing it now?"

"I feel mostly good about it." Airili admitted with a small smile.

"You did very well. I'm sure you'll do great tomorrow."

"Well, if I do, it'll be because I had a good teacher." she grinned. "Ice skating, waltzing... How are you so good at all these things?"

"As much as I'd like to claim it's natural talent, it's as I said before. My parents have been pushing me to learn all the courtly and social arts since I was young..."

"You must've had no free time." Airili mused with a small frown.

"Between school, dance, music lessons, and etiquette classes, my schedule was very full. My parents expected a lot." Hana suddenly frowned. "They were devastated when they didn't have any sons, so they pinned all of their hopes on me. Every day of my life has been about grooming me to bring fame and fortune to my family by winning some prince or noble's hand... For all the good it's done after my last engagement..."

"Do you mind if I ask what happened? With your fiance?"

"Peter was an English nobleman. He was well off and had an ancestral title and home... all of the things my parents always wanted for our family." Hana said matter-of-factly. "We'd spend long afternoons horseback riding and sailing. He was very kind... That, and he'd been raised with romantic notions about true love and a lifetime of happily wedded bliss. It should've been perfect."

"But?"

"But... the simple truth was that I didn't love him..." Hana's frown once again returned to her face and she looked incredibly sad. "My parents never asked me what I wanted, never gave me reason to think that I might also love the person I'd marry. So when he proposed... I knew I had to accept. I tried my best, but he became suspicious. At our engagement party a month before the wedding, he cornered me and... He asked me if he was what I wanted. And even though I told him what he wanted to hear, I couldn't keep back the tears. He knew me well enough by then to know. He could tell that I was miserable. I don't think he ever understood why I would've gone through with it. But he was born to power and privilege. How could he understand? He was good enough not to make a big deal of it, but there was a lot of ugly speculation about why we parted. Especially because he got married shortly after to another woman..." Hana took a slow breath in before releasing it. "But that's behind me now... My parents are upset with me, but they've given me another chance. Here, now."

"But aren't you worried that history will repeat itself... with Thomas?" Airili asked, heart aching for her friend.

"Well... I'm hopeful that things will turn out differently this time. And I don't want to disappoint my parents." Hana's frown disappeared and was replaced with a smile. "Besides, it's not all bad. They've been pressuring me to spend more time with you."

"Why me?" Airili was surprised that Hana's parents would want her as any sort of influence in their daughter's life.

"Oh..." Hana blushed. "I mean, you've got a special connection with the Prince..." she explained but another frown appeared. "...And if I'm close to you, then I'm closer to Thomas."

"Wow..." Airili had no idea what to say. She had thought Hana was being a genuine friend but it seemed even she had an ulterior motive. "Is that all this is? A way for you to get close to the Prince?"

"Oh! No! It's not only that." Hana's face was covered with shock. "That's what my parents are hoping for, but... I  _like_ spending time with you, Airili."

"Hana..." Airili was no fool. Hana did not enjoy most of what her parents pressured her into, but their friendship was not just an ulterior motive. Hana enjoyed Airili's company and considered herself lucky enough that her parents approved of their friendship. "It's good to have a friend around here."

"Yeah, it is." Hana agreed, finally allowing herself to smile again. "It's kind of funny that even though we're technically competing against each other, we can be friends." Twelve chimes on Hana's wall clock interrupted the moment and Airili's eyes were drawn to it. "I suppose we should get some sleep."

"Yeah... I'll talk to you tomorrow." Airili promised with a smile. It caused Hana to grin.

"Good night, Airili."

"Good night."

And with that, Airili left Hana's room to return to her own, falling into bed and drifting off to sleep easily.


	8. A Waltz to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to steam up in this chapter between Thomas and Airili. This is one of my favorite chapters! I hope you enjoy!

Getting up the next morning had been hard, to say the least. She had to get up early which, coupled with staying up late, proved to be an unsavory task. She carefully did her make-up, wanting to look presentable for the ball, but not over-doing it. She did a light blush, lipstick just a shade darker than her usual tone, some mascara to make her long lashes pop, and just a hint of glitter.

She did her hair in a low hanging twist bun with some hair loose in front to frame her face, dotting her hair with silver snowflake shaped accessories that stood out on her dark brown hair. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a gray, button-up sweater as she made her way through the day, eating breakfast and then making her way to Hana's suite since her friend had insisted they pick outfits from the mini-boutique off her room together.

The selection was modest in comparison to the one in palace, but since this was a suite exclusive selection, it wasn't by all means small. There were dresses in every color, except red, notably. Hana's eyes fell upon a silver one that Airili didn't have a proper chance to see before Hana was behind the curtain and already changing into it.

After a minute or so Hana emerged in a silver dress that wrapped tightly around her front, coming down in a low v-line in the front and back. The skirt fanned out into different layers of shimmering gray tulle, making the dress seem more like a ball gown. It was plain but yet it flattered Hana well.

"Ta-daa!" Hana exclaimed with a grin before spinning around to display the full glory of the dress. "How do I look?"

"Wow, Hana..." Airili observed the way it flowed with every movement Hana made. "You're going to set the ball on fire. Everyone's going to be talking about your dress." 

"You think so?" Hana asked, blushing at the compliment with a big grin. Her eyes settled on a pair of simple pair of silver gladiator-strapped heels that matched the top half of her dress, sitting down and slipping them on.

"I'll force people into awkward conversations about it if I have to." Airili answered with a smirk and both girls laughed.

"Come on, let's pick your dress so we're not late to the ball." Hana urged, starting to once again comb the racks for a dress.

"One eye-popping dress, coming right up." Airili agreed, setting to work on a different rack. She thought for a moment, trying to decide what to wear. There were plenty of options in every shape, and every color (excluding red) but her mind drifted to the swirling snowflakes outside the window and her heart was suddenly set on a dress that would honor the wintery wonderland she was visiting, at least symbolically. 

The dress had skin tight, sheer sleeves generously covered in gems and beads. There was a sharp transition when the sheer met a sweetheart neckline an evenly beaded to sparkling bodice that reminded her of a frosted windowpane. The skirt, much like Hana's, was covered in generous layers of tulle that glittered and shone in the light, while the bottom half was dotted in gems that matched the ones on her sleeves. She couldn't really imagine herself dancing well in any heels that didn't strap around her ankles so she picked a pair of silver ankle-strap, silver pumps that lacked the metallic sheen of Hana's shoes.

"It's so beautiful." Hana mused excitedly. "You look like a magical snowstorm!"

"I feel like a real princess in this dress." Airili mused, twirling and watching the layers of tulle fan out and up slightly as if to prove her point.

"Shall we be off?" 

"After you, Lady Hana." she smiled, giving a small curtsy and causing a giggle to erupt from Hana.

They made their way down to the ballroom, rather awe-inspired by how a room could so quickly come to life with a little labor. They glanced around at the dozen icicle-clad chandeliers and the white tablecloths with silver finery. The walls were lined with columns and ladies and lords all across the room were dressed in their best. 

Airili spotted Maxwell across the room, and with Hana in tow, made her way to him with a nervous but excited smile. The moment Maxwell's eyes laid on Hana and Airili, he gave a low bow.

"Ladies... it's a pleasure to see you both tonight." he greeted with a grin. His voice lacked its usual spontaneous nature but not its enthusiasm. "And Lady Vitalia, I must say, you look utterly becoming. Truly, a diamond of the first water."

"That's... unusually formal of you." AIrili observed with a shocked expression before leaning in with concerned eyes and a conspiratory whisper. "What gives?"

" _Tonight_ I am representing the Duchy of Ramsford at this important social event." Maxwell couldn't hide a slightly dramatic flare in his tone that made the three of them smile.

"That sounds like something Bertrand would say." Airili stated, raising an eyebrow. Maxwell's shoulders slumped slightly.

"He's been calling me all night to remind me." Maxwell said with a frown.

"Ah... you've got to be on your best behavior or else Bertrand will get on your case?" It was a rhetorical question that both of them knew the answer to but Maxwell confirmed it for Hana's sake.

"Pretty much." Hana's gaze drifted to their surroundings once more and she beamed.

"Ooh, Olivia hired a full orchestra to play tonight." she gestured in their direction and Maxwell and Airili's gazes followed.

"I've heard you're quite the musician yourself, Hana." Maxwell prodded, eyes once again drifting to his pair of pleasant company.

"Oh, no. I'm not..." Hana looked like a cornered rabbit, shifting into a shy stance at the subject change.

"Really?" Maxwell looked a little surprised. "I feel like I remember hearing that you were a virtuoso pianist."

"I still play from time to time, but only for fun." Hana admitted, but it didn't seem like it was something she was proud of.

"I'd like to hear you sometime!" Airili admitted, giddy with excitement at the idea. Hana seemed to be skilled in everything, and like many of Hana's social performances, she couldn't imagine her lacking in talent at a piano either.

"I actually found a piano in the parlor here." Hana confessed, biting her lip. "I was considering sneaking over there to play tonight... You're welcome to join me, Airili. But for now, we should be getting to our seats."

One thing that Airili noticed upon glancing around the room again, was the placement of name cards, each scrolled with elegant, yet legible writing at each table.

"Where are we sitting?" she wondered out loud. Maxwell immediately looked guilty.

"About that. Turns out  _I'm_ sitting at the head table with Olivia and the Prince... But you two are at the farthest table in the back. I guess Olivia put together the seating plan."

"Olivia's making me sit in the back?" Airili questioned, easily spotting the redhead in the crowd since she was the only one wearing red. She shrugged. "I'm just happy to be invited. I'm actually surprised Olivia hasn't locked me in my room yet!"

"Heh. While something like that's unlikely, I wouldn't give Olivia any ideas." Maxwell admonished playfully.

"Agreed." Hana chimed. "She already has enough schemes on her own!" They all chuckled but it felt a little empty, given the subject matter. Maxwell frowned.

"Sorry to leave you guys, but..."

"Don't worry about us, Maxwell. AIrili and I will make the best of it!" Hana assured, smiling sweetly. Maxwell nodded before giving another bow and finding his way to his seat. 

The girls charted their path to the back and it wasn't terribly difficult for them to find their name cards because of a familiar face.

"Welcome to the table of exiles." Drake greeted, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair and looked at the two of them. Drake looked exceptionally out of place at this grand event, dressed in a pair of jeans, a white tee-shirt and a black short sleeve button-up shirt that he hadn't bothered to button up.

"Drake?" Airili raised an eyebrow and she eyed his ensemble. Good lord, the man was wearing converse, she noticed. And yet it suited him. "Now I KNOW this is the worst table in the room." she teased but there wasn't any actual venom in her voice.

"We're all just pawns lined up on the board in Olivia's little game." came Drake's grim reply.Airili rolled her eyes and sat down in front of her name card and Hana did the same.

"Are you telling me you actually know how to play chess?" Airili raised an eyebrow. If there was one thing that she had found to be a complete constant in Drake's likes and behavior, it was that he enjoyed the simple things, so much so that he seemed to bring it up at every event. While chess wasn't exactly sophisticated, it did have that reputation to an extent and honestly it felt more likely that Drake would feel at home playing Battleship or Sorry.

"Heh. I  _did_ grow up at the palace." Drake reminded with a smirk, finally sitting in his chair properly as if to make his point. "You should ask Prince Thomas sometime about who always won our matches." 

"Drake, you don't seem bothered at all to be seated in the back." Hana observed, raising an eyebrow.

"What can I say? After enough years of getting treated like this, you build up a thick skin." Drake admitted, looking around at the tables of neatly seated nobles. "Besides, back here? Out of the spotlight? At least we can relax."

Swarms of servers were weaving through the tables, carrying so many dishes, but the fact that they were starting on the other side of the room despite their table being closest to the kitchen entrance suggested what kind of meal this was going to be for them. The bowls of soup looked and smelled delicious and was taunting Airili's empty stomach. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, and even that had been small. She'd been too excited for the ball.

"The food looks amazing." Hana smiled, eyes following a waiter as he walked passed them. "I hope they serve us soon! I'm  _starving_ _!_ " 

"I wouldn't get your hopes up." Drake replied, spinning a fork around his fingers. "Where we're seated, we'll be the last to eat. If there's even any left by the time they get to us."

"But... the lobster bisque... do you really think we'll go hungry?" Hana frowned and Airili's expression matched. That did not sound like an enjoyable way to spend the duration of the ball. But a determined spark lit up in Airili's eyes.

"Not if I can help it. This can't be too different from hailing a New York taxi." she stated with a reassuring grin. Her eyes scanned the room and she spotted a server walking back into the kitchen to get more biscue to bring out. "Hey..." she said loudly enough to get his attention, standing to further make it obvious who had spoken. "Please, I'm about to faint. I need food." she put on a dizzy expression and reached her hand out to the server. "I haven't eaten all day, I..."

She trailed off and fluttered her eyes a couple times for good measure before started to fall over. Drake's reaction was immediate as he shot out of his seat to catch her only inches before she hit the floor.

"Hey!" Drake was actually a little alarmed, despite knowing it was all a ruse.

"Please... food..." Airili glanced up at the waiter with a weak frown. 

The server looked absolutely shocked, muttering something about being right back and placing one bowl of biscue in front of her and hurrying about his way.

"I can't believe that actually worked, Vitalia." Drake mused with a grin, staring at the plate as she resumed a completely normal behavior. "Just... warn me before you take a dive. Next time I might not catch you."

"Oh. Drake. You know I like to keep you on your toes." Airili teased as she unfurrowed her napkin and carefully sat it on her lap.

"Well, let's examine our riches!" Hana suggested with an enthusiastic smile. "One piping hot bowl of lobster bisque to split three ways?"

"Let's dig in!" Airili beamed, taking her spoon and scooping up the first bite. As expected, it was the best lobster bisque she was sure she'd ever have and she wasn't entirely sure she could ever go back. She looked at Drake and to her amazement, he was also smiling. 

"This is actually really good." he announced, spoon once again setting course for the meal.

"I'm in lobster heaven." Hana sighed contently with a bright smile.

"Solid work, Vitalia." Drake commended with a stiff nod.

"Yes! Thank you, Airili! We'd be lost without you!" Hana beamed.

"Aw, thanks guys. I'm sure the rest of the food will show up soon, anyway..." Airili assured with a happy smile.

The bowl of bisque split between them had long since been finished. It had been about thirty minutes and all of the nobles who had been served first were at the very least finishing up their meals because the chatter that filled the room was much louder than when the food had first been brought out.

 "Wow... the service here is terrible." Hana mused, looking at the servers who had still not come to their table.

"All by design." Drake stated with a shrug.

"Even if it's on purpose, at least it's not the worst service I've had." Hana admitted, finger tracing the embroidery on her napkin absentmindedly.

"You've had worse service than this?" Airili asked, alarmed. Even when she was in America as a commoner with hardly any income, she couldn't think of a time where her service had been this bad.

"Believe it or not, I've been to a wedding where food wasn't served until  _midnight_." Hana explained, content with the four and a half hours they still had before midnight. "They got hideously behind schedule and decided to do an open call for speeches before dinner. It took hours!"

"Oh, heavens!" Drake exclaimed dramatically, voice dripping with sarcasm. Airili's eyes narrowed and found their way to him.

"Drake." she scolded firmly.

"I can tell you a real horror story." Drake stated, choosing to tentatively ignore Airili's scolding. "Let's set the scene. Casual get-together. Lots of people I don't know, but that's fine. There's a bar, man's true best friend. So I figure I'll grab a drink. I go up to the bar,  _and they're out of whiskey!"_

Airili honestly couldn't believe they were having this conversation right now. As if that compared to spending most of the day without food and trying to politely pay attention to wedding speeches with a growling and empty stomach.

"Drake... Didn't they have other drinks?" she asked, almost amused by how offended he seemed by this whole 'ordeal.'

"No, no. YOu don't understand." Drake defended, mock-shock covering his features. "We're talking about  _whiskey,_ the best of all drinks." Hana and Airili chuckled.

"Haven't you ever tried anything else? Wine, cocktails...?" Airili raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I drink  _not-whiskey_ when there's  _whiskey?"_ Drake asked, a small smile playing on his own lips.

"Variety?" Airili suggested, rolling her eyes.

"I'm starting to question your taste, Vitalia." Drake teased, shaking his head. "It's too bad we probably won't see a  _real_ drink at dinner. From what I've seen, Olivia's got quite a stash."

"From what you've seen?" Hana repeated curiously.

"I did some exploring, and I happened to stumble across her wine cellar." Drake explained coolly.

"Really?" Airili supposed it was obvious that she'd have one, but since Olivia was rarely here, it seemed a little overzealous to have it fully stocked.

"Yeah. It's pretty impressive, actually, not a bad place to get away from all of this for awhile." he mused before a smirk covered his lips. 'Why don't you join me there for a drink tonight, Vitalia? If you're not afraid of sneaking out after hours..." 

Something pulled at their attention before she could reply. That, of course, was two more bowls of lobster bisque arriving at their table and in front of Hana and Drake. The fresh and blissful aroma was now absent, unfortunately.

"There's no lobster in my bowl." Hana frowned, spoon swirling through the contents to make her point. "It's just... bisque. This is the saddest soup I've ever seen."

"I'm not usually one to complain about free food, but this is ice cold compared to what we had earlier." Drake was wearing a matching frown, sighing heavily before his features transformed into a scowl. "Which means Olivia did this on purpose."

"At least we got to have a taste of the  _real_ meal, thanks to Airili's quick thinking!" Hana reminded, taking a bite of her bisque.

"And we know that Olivia's intentionally screwing with us." Airili glared at the redhead. As if on cue, musicians played a flurry of fanfare and Olivia stood with a delicate smile on her features.

"Hello, dear guests, and welcome to the Nevrakis family's chateau." she greeted. "It means so much to me that you would join me in this place that's so dear to my heart. I hope you enjoy the festivities tonight as much as I will. Now, everyone, please join me up front to begin the Cordonian Waltz."

"But we haven't finished eating!" Hana protested quietly to her friends.

"I don't think she cares." Drake replied with a sigh.

"Well... let's do this." Airili frowned, standing up and setting her napkin next to her empty bowl. Hana did the same but Drake made no movements, instead looking a little uncomfortable.

"Aren't you joining us, Drake?" Hana asked politely with a concerned expression.

"Waltzing isn't my thing. I'll be here with the...." Drake glanced down at the pathetic contents in his bowl. "... food."

 Hana and AIrili shared a glance before weaving through the tables to the dance floor and leaving Drake at the table alone.The arrived just in time to see Thomas asking Olivia to dance, which sucked.

"Olivia, may I have this dance?" Thomas asked, his usual princely expression plastered stably on his features.

"Of course. Anything for you, Prince Thomas..." Olivia agreed with a smile. She gave a low curtsy before Thomas carefully swept her into his arms and onto the dance floor. Maxwell stepped up beside them but the girls hardly noticed.

"It would be unspeakably rude for Prince Thomas to not dance this waltz with the hostess...." Hana said with a frown but that didn't make either of them feel much better about the situation.

"I guess that's what happens when you have home court advantage..." AIrili mused, gently soothing Hana with a hand on her shoulder.

"That doesn't mean you won't dance though..." Maxwell encouraged, a playful grin appearing on his features. "In fact, Lady Airili, may I have the honor of this waltz?"

"Maxwell..." AIrili glanced at his offered hand and smiled. "It is I who would be honored." she murmured, playing overly polite with him for the sake of Bertrand. Maxwell bowed and took her hand.

"My lady..." he smiled and they both held back their giggles. Before Maxwell lead her to the floor, Hana gently caught her arm and whispered into her ear.

"I'm certain you'll shine out there! Don't forget what we went over last night..." she reminded with a polite smile. "When he steps forward, you step back. Relax when he spins you, and try not to get dizzy by focusing on something solid!"

"Thanks, Hana!" Airili whispered back with a smile and a nod to show her confidence.

"Good luck!" Hana said with a grin.

"Shall we?" Maxwell asked and Airili nodded as he guided her out on the dance floor and into his arms. He set his hand on her waist and swept up her other hand in a classic ballroom waltz position but the calm look on his face suddenly evolved into panic. "Oh, god... wait a second, do you even know the Cordonian Waltz?"

"I practiced with Hana, but a little warning from you would've been nice..." Airili teased and he frowned.

"Sorry... I knew I was forgetting something..."

"It's fine." Airili assured, patting his shoulder. "Hana was an  _excellent_ teacher. Now it's time to see if all that practice paid off!" 

The music started to flow gently from the orchestra and the both fell into the box step naturally. Maxwell guided her down the length of the room in an elegant glide and he seemed rather impressed.

"Very nice, Airili..." he encouraged, as they once again fell into a close box step.

"I try..." Airili smiled, feeling a little more confident as they moved.

"Hope you're ready for this..." As practiced before, Airili took Maxwell's other hand and then she prepared for the spin, grabbing at the hand that was released and relaxing into the quick motions and it caused her to let out a giddy giggle. "Now, here we go..." He said as they started to finish the third box step. "Last move..."

With that, he twirled her so her back was against his front and his arms wrapped around her and he held her close.

"Maxwell... This seems a little scandalous for the ballroom." Airili muttered with a chuckle. He gently swayed with her like this.

"The Cordonian Waltz  _is_ a romantic dance... In the old days, it used to be that this waltz was the only way couples could flirt..." 

"I can see why. It's very intimate..." She mused and Maxwell let go of her hands, placed them on her waist, and gently pushed her forward.

"Time to switch partners..." Maxwell explained. "You'll go through the same steps, so just do what you did with me, and you'll be great!"

She was looking back at Maxwell and not to where she was heading so it came as a surprise when she found herself caught in Thomas' embrace.

"Thomas..." Airili sighed his name contently, eyes now focused completely on him. He smiled.

"Why, hello there." he greeted, falling into step with her so naturally she didn't even know her feet were moving.

"Fancy running into you."

"You mean, on the dance floor of a private ball during a choreographed waltz?" he teased and she chuckled.

"Well, when you put it that way, it seems inevitable I'd run into you..." Airili agreed, breath catching in her throat as he moved to dance closely with her. "But to be fair, I haven't seen a lot of you lately..."

"True. I've been a little preoccupied." He agreed, guiding her across the floor. "Olivia is the hostess... and I'd be remiss in my duties if I didn't spend time with all of the women here..."

"Thomas... I understand that." She promised as they once again fell into step with one another. He took both of her hands in his own, lacing their fingers together for just a moment. He guided her easily through the spins. "You're not just marrying for yourself. It's for the Crown..."

"Yes." He agreed, hand dipping past her hip, up her back and down her arm like he was savoring the ability to be able to touch her like this. "No matter how I feel... Well, we'll have to see what happens in the coming weeks..."

He took both of her hands and twirled her as he pulled her against him, his mouth so close to her ear she could feel the warmth of his breath as he whispered.

"But Airili, you should know... You  _are_ special to me..." He spun her around to look into her eyes but it wasn't but a moment until Olivia glided into her field of vision.

" _Ahem_." She cleared her throat pointedly. "Lady Airili, I believe he's  _my_ partner now..." 

Airili reluctantly let go of Thomas' hand and quickly found herself back in Maxwell's arms.

"Watching you two together..." Maxwell murmured thoughtfully. "I can tell that Thomas cares for you a lot."

"Yeah... but.. our relationship is so strange." Airili frowned, glancing over at him for a moment before focusing on her dancing partner again. "It's not like he can just sweep me off my feet and carry me out of here..."

"When you're royalty, the rules are different." Maxwell explained with a soft expression.

"I know that... And yet..." Airili stopped when she saw Maxwell with a clearly surprised expression and turned to see Olivia lean in and kiss Thomas deeply on the dance floor. She blinked in surprise but remained composed, even after Olivia's arms snaked around his neck and he took far too long to break the kiss. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he gently pulled away, putting on a face of complete calmness. 

"Thomas..." Olivia murmured his name with an awestruck smile. Thomas was quiet a moment as if trying to compose every part of him.

"Olivia, uh, let's...  _talk._ " Thomas suggested, glancing to the doors. "Perhaps outside?"

They walked away and Airii's eyes tailed them as long as possible before they disappeared from sight, blindly following Maxwell as he lead her off the dance floor where other ladies were talking about Olivia's actions.

"Well, that was a bold play..." Penelope said, shifting uncomfortably with a frown.

"Little Olivia is growing up. How sweet." Madeleine mused, shaking her head.

"Aren't you upset by that?" Airili wondered, joining the conversation. It felt off to her but she was trying her best to remain a face of serenity and clarity despite the fact that the scene a moment before kept replaying in her mind against her will.

"Ostentatious displays are for those who are either unrefined or insecure. I am neither." Madeleine answered coolly.

"We always knew that she and the Prince were close." Penelope added, frown never leaving her features.

"It was a power move, if you ask me." Kiara hissed, obviously angry.

"Right... excuse us, one moment." Maxwell murmured, herding Airili just out of hearing of the other ladies. "We have a chance to play a little politics here."

"Is it the kind of politics where I get strategic and try to gain an advantage?" Airili asked, eyes slowly finding Maxwell's.

"Exactly!" Maxwell agreed with a smile. "Look at Kiara. She's clearly upset at Olivia's display. And she's alone by the appetizers right now. This is what we call an opportunity. You should get on her good side.If you can drive a wedge between her and Olivia, it might weaken Olivia's position. ANd if Kiara has good things to say about you, it'll help your reputation at court!" Airili was quiet a moment, considering Maxwell's suggestion before nodding.

"I'll give it a shot." She agreed, leaving Maxwell to approach Kiara, but playing it off as not that as she reached for an appetizer. "Excuse me, Lady Kiara."

"Oh! Lady Airili." Kiara muttered, pulled from her thoughts. "Comment ca va?"

"Lady Kiara." Airili was grateful for the decision to take French in high school. "Ca va bien." 

"Magnifique. What can I do for you?" Kiara asked, actually smiling.

"Let's discuss Olivia." Airili murmured, taking a delicate bite of her shrimp and swallowing it before she continued. "What did you think of her little display?"

"I can't believe her." Kiara growled, expression once again turning into one of rage. "She wouldn't have the guts to do that anywhere else. She's gone mad with power here."

"I think Olivia clearly has the upper hand." Airili mused, recalling how well she'd been treated the duration of the evening. "She's the greatest threat here. It'll take more than one of us to beat her."

"Interesting..." Kiara murmured, raising an eyebrow as she considered Airili a moment.

"We need to stick together." Airili suggested, taking a tentative step closer to Kiara to make her point. "Otherwise, we don't stand a fighting chance against Olivia."

"Are you proposing an alliance?" Kiara questioned. "I wouldn't normally entertain the idea, but you are fitting in remarkably well... You certainly look like you could be an important ally..."

"Yes. You should be my ally because I'll support you too." Airili reasoned, pausing a moment to give her words more effect. "Olivia's friendship is a one-way street. Why should you always let her get her way?"

"You make a fair point." Kiara agreed, frown appearing on her features.

"We all need someone to speak well of us." Airili continued, feeling pretty confident. "We can help each other out."

"That's not a bad idea."

"We need to have each other's backs if we're going to take down Olivia." 

"You know..." Kiara paused a moment, a smile replacing her frown. "We could both benefit from a little well-placed support here and there."

"I'm glad we see it the same way." Airili smiled. Sure, Kiara wouldn't provide the same sort of friendship that Maxwell, Thomas, Drake. and Hana did, but the relief that she had one more ally was great.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I should mingle with what time I have left. A bientot."  Kiara bid her farewell as she made her way through the tables to talk with other nobles.

Airili was content eating a few more shrimp since she hadn't exactly gotten a normal serving of dinner. It was nice to watch the swell of nobles on the dance floor and once it had been a sufficient amount of time at the event, AIrili decided it might be time to call it a night. She was on her way out of the ballroom when she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder, one she was starting to becoming incredibly familiar with

"Hello, Lady Airili." Thomas greeted with a nervous smile. "As usual, you are a vision. You look lovely." He murmured softly, gently taking her hands in his own and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Thomas..." she was admittedly surprised to see him again since she had reserved herself to not enjoying his presence for what little remained of the evening. "I'm glad you found me. I was afraid I'd have to leave the ball without seeing you again."

"I know we haven't seen each other much this trip." Thomas agreed, shoulders relaxing when Airili chose not to mention what was no doubt the incident highlighted by conversation this evening. His unexpected kiss with Olivia.

"It's been a hectic few days..." she reasoned, trying to determine where they stood in their relationship now.

"A strange few days." Thomas corrected. "I spend all of these events rushing from person to person, trying to say the right things and keep all the nobles happy... But at night, I find myself lying awake for hours in the grand suite, unable to sleep."

"That grand suite?" Airili asked, raising an eyebrow. "That sounds fancy."

"Oh, it's the best room. It's upstairs at the end of the quiet east wing. It comes with everything... even a hot tub under the stars, overlooking the mountains." Airili raised an eyebrow, he was literally giving her directions to his room and it almost sounded like he was suggesting she pay him a visit.

"Sounds... romantic..."

"It would be... with the right person." he agreed with a smile she'd only seen when she suggested that they sneak off somewhere. "Unfortunately, I've got no one to share it with.

"Maybe I can help you with that." Airili mused, knowing that he was offering her a chance to spend time with him without the formalities of courtly life interfering for just an hour or two.

"Oh? Are you sure you can manage it?" He asked, almost unable to contain his excitement as he bounced from the balls of his feet to the heels.

"I'm not making any promises... yet." Airili said coolly.

"Prince Thomas?" Their attention was brought to Penelope standing a respectable distance behind them "If I might interrupt?"

"Of course." And like magic Thomas' princely expression was back. "I know we haven't spoken all day, Lady Penelope." He looked at Airili a moment. "Lady Airili, good night." He gave her a wink that only she could see before kissing her hand and turning attention to Penelope as they walked together. 

Airili watched him retreat a moment before making her way out of the ballroom and through the foyer. She paused when she heard music coming from the parlor. A piano.

"Hm..." Airili hummed to herself as her feet made their way through the hall to the parlor. The music stopped a moment and Airili spotted Hana sitting in front of the piano, staring out the window in thought. Her attention was brought to her unannounced guest and she smiled.

"Airili!" Hana stood, putting some distance between her and the piano. "I wasn't sure you'd come."

"Are you kidding?" Airili asked, smiling back. "I couldn't pass up a chance to hear your famed musical talents."

"Oh, it's hardly all that!" Hana blushed, biting her lips. "I hope I haven't gotten your hopes too high for this..."

"Don't sell yourself short."

"I have to admit, I'm nervous to play in front of you." Hana murmured, looking at the piano nervously.

"Why?" Airili was shocked to hear that Hana was intimidated by this.

"It's been a long time since I performed publicly." Hana explained with a frown. "My parents used to trot me out at every dinner party and luncheon that happened to have a piano present.Until one day when they forced me to play at a ball and I made an absolute fool of myself, missing every note and playing out of key."

"Sounds like you were angry." Airili mused, knowing that Hana worked exceptionally well under pressure and that there was no way that Hana didn't do that on purpose.

"That's right." Hana looked surprised to be understood. "Everything I've learned, everything I've become.... it's all for my family. For them to one day marry me off to the highest ranking man they can find. Playing the piano was the first thing I'd ever actually  _enjoyed_. I couldn't bear for them to take that too, and make it theirs. I wanted just one thing for myself. Anyway, my lapse in performance cured them of dragging me up on stage. You should've seen the couples dancing. WIthout a beat to follow, they were running into each other and tumbling down left and right! My parents were mortified, but I saw it as a victory. And I promised myself that I'd never play for anyone but myself again."

"Oh." Airili said blankly, feeling out of place all the sudden. "Hana... I don't want to pressure you into something..."

"Oh, this is  _my_ decision, Airili." Hana assured. "And that makes it entirely different. So, sit." 

Airili sat in an armchair not far from the piano and Hana found herself on the piano bench, hands hovering delicately over the keys... There was silence for a few seconds before music started to fill the air. The notes were beautiful and the performance was otherworldly, and Airili could only sit at the edge of her seat, watching in complete awe at the talent and skill of her friend.

After few moments, the sound came to an end and the last notes echoed off the walls for a moment before the room was filled with silence. Hana turned in her seat to look at Airili anxiously. 

"There's something so exhilarating about playing for someone else!" Hana mused as if it was a lost discovery she had long since forgotten about. "I'd forgotten what that feeling was like. What did you think?"

"Hana, that was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard." Airili insisted with a bright smile. Hana's face lit up.

"Thank you, Airili. That means so much coming from you." Hana said softly. "That song is actually one I composed myself."

"Really?"

"Yes. I wrote it when I was twelve. That was such a lonely time for me. I would sit by a pond at the edge of our estate, watching the water lilies bobbing in the water as the sun set. I remember so  vividly letting my fingers trail in the water, pretending to play magical piano keys floating in the pond. Sometimes I'd stay out there for hours, just letting the melody run through my head. My mother was always very cross wehn she'd have to come find me out there. I'm afraid I was a rather morose child.

"Hana... You deserve more happiness in your life." Airili stated sincerely, 

"Oh, I don't mean to complain. I've been very lucky, honestly." Hana frowned, shaking her head. "To me, though, what matters is  _now_ , and I'm having a wonderful time with you tonight. Now, I'd like to teach you to play something."

"Me?" Airili asked in disbelieve.

"Yes. Come sit next to me." Hana chuckled, taking Airili's hand and pulling her up out of her chair and onto the piano bench with her. "It's simple enough. Just tap the same keys that I tap."

It seemed uncomplicated until the piece that Hana decided to demonstrate played swiftly across the keys, leaving Airili in a confused and bewildered daze.

"You... may need to do that again."

"Hee hee. Sorry, how about something more simple?" Hana suggested with a giggle. She tapped out a few keys at a pace more understandable to a beginner. "Want to try?"

"Hana, I think I've got it." Airili exclaimed, tracing the same pattern as Hana demonstrated. Hana smiled and clapped.

"Perfect! You're a quick study." 

"I have the best teacher." Airili said seriously with a smile. It caused an approving chuckle to leave Hana.

"Well, it's getting late. We should probably turn in for the night." Hana mused, glancing at the hall.

"Yeah." Airili agreed, slowly standing and helping Hana off the bench.

"Airili? Thank you for coming tonight. It really meant a lot to me to be able to share that with you."

"Hana... Thank you for sharing your music with me." Airili smiled softly. "I appreciate that you trust me so much."

"What can I say, Airili? You're my best friend here." Hana frowned. "Maybe the only friend I've ever had, actually." Her expression warmed and again and she gave a small wave before leaving the room and retiring to her suite for the night.

Airili left the parlor, starting to make her way to her own room when a light coming up from a spiral staircase near the kitchen entrance. She curiously made her way down the stairs and found Drake investigating the label on a dusty bottle of whiskey. He glanced over at Airili with a smile, lifting an empty glass in his hand in greeting.

"There you are, Vitalia. I was beginning to think you didn't have the guts to show." He greeted, walking over to the shelves with glasses and grabbing another one for her. "Y'know, breaking the rules, out after curfew and all that."

"Actually, I almost didn't come, but I didn't want to leave you all alone."

"Heh, don't worry about me. I'm used to being on my own." he mused, raising the second glass. "So, what're you drinking?"

"What've you got?" Airili asked, making her way to look at the displays of bottles.

"Nothing yet. It seems like Olivia has a  _very_   extensive collection of fine Cordonian wines." Drake gestured to the many bottles spanning the walls of the cellar. "I'm no expert, but from the names I recognize, nothing in here's under a thousand dollars!"

"You want to drink Olivia#s wine? Pass me a bottle!" Airili giggled. "She's got so many bottles here, she'll probably never even notice!"

"Before you pop something open, I also brought a bottle of whiskey down for myself... but I'd share it with you." That was probably the single nicest thing Drake had ever said to her. "So pick your poison."

"I'll drink Olivia's wine." Airili decided with an amused chuckle, not wanting to take away any of Drake's beloved whiskey. Though that was just an excuse because she wasn't a fan of the sharp burn down her throat from drinking whiskey.

Drake opened a random bottle off the shelf and opened it, pouring it for her and offering it. She took it with a ginger smile, swirling the glass and taking a tentative sip.

"So this is what a thousand dollars tastes like." Airili looked shocked.

"Worth it?"

"I may never be able to go back." she announced with a smirk. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

"I'll stick to whiskey, thanks." Drake refused, looking uncomfortable with the concept of drinking anything that wasn't whiskey.

"So. You came down to the wine cellar to drink whiskey? Doesn't that seem a little silly?"

"I came down here to get a little commoner time by myself where I don't have to bow any kiss hands for a few minutes." Drake corrected pointedly, pouring himself whiskey and downing it.

"Drake, if you hate the nobility so much, why do you stick around?"

"It must seem ridiculous to you." he mused, considering her a moment.

"To be honest, I don't understand why put yourself through it." Airili admitted, looking at him sadly while she took another sip.

"It's Thomas. It's always been for him." Drake answered with a frown. "I would've left a long time ago, but Thomas needs me. I know he's got nobles and courtiers all around him, but most of them would stab him in the back if they thought they could profit from it. I've seen so many underhanded moves that I don't trust any of them anymore. And these are from our  _friends!"_   His voice was practically a shout by the end of it and he looked like he was fuming. "And this latest one..."

"What happened?" Airili asked, never seeing Drake lose his cool like this.

"I... I'm not sure I should tell you." he softened, looking into the bottom of his glass remorsefully. "It's still being resolved."

"You're always saying I need to watch out..." Airili mused, pouring herself another glass and refilling his. "it'd be nice to actually know what for."

"You remember Thomas' bachelor party?" he asked after a moment of contemplation.

"Of course."

"We found out that someone close to us that night was trying to sell pictures to the tabloids." Drake gritted through his teeth, once again downing his glass.

"But who? Who would do that?" Airili asked in surprise, holding her glass in two hands now to keep from dropping it.

"We haven't tracked down the source yet, but I just got a message from Bastien that we were able to buy the photos back before they were printed."

"Call me crazy, but I don't remember anything that scandalous happening..." Besides sneaking onto a boat to see the Statue of Liberty and kissing Thomas on said boat, but there was definitely no pictures of that.

"You know how the tabloids are. A picture with a drink in his hand, and suddenly the crown prince of Cordonia is on a drunken rager. And then there's the pictures of the two of you together." Airili's brain shut down for a moment.

"What? But we weren't..."

"The two of you were talking, and he was clearly interested in you. That's enough for them to speculate on." Drake poured another glass before downing only half of it this time. "What was the headline the tabloid was going to run? 'Prince Thomas' Drunken Fling Before the Ring!'"

"And you have no idea who would do this?" Airili frowned, setting down her glass.

"Not really. There are a lot of people who would be desperate for those photos..."Drake frowned. "...I just hope it wasn't one of the guys. The pictures they had... Those would've been hard to take unless that person were someone close to us..."

"Drake... I'll watch out." she promised and he nodded.

"Good. Money and power make people do crazy things, Vitalia. I just don't want to see you get hurt because of it."

"Drake..." she felt touched by his concern.

"I mean, sometimes I look at you... and I see this wide-eyed baby deer who just stumbled into the hunter's campsite." A light pink crossed Drake's features and it was obvious that the alcohol he'd been downing was starting to hit his system.

"A baby deer? So you think I'm cute?" she teased.

"That's not what I... er..." Drake looked cornered for a moment and she chuckled.

"My, my, seems like for once you're speechless." 

"Your unique talent, Vitalia, seems to be putting me in my place." he mused with a smile.

" _Someone's_ gotta do it." Airili defended with a giggle.

"What is it about you? You're so frustrating, but..."

"But?" she questioned, a little surprised by how much he was examining her, as if looking at her closely would unravel whatever it was about her that confused him. He shook his head.

"Forget it. How about a toast, instead?" he suggested, picking up his glass of whiskey and raising it to be eye level with Airili.

"What're we toasting to?" 

"To the moments in between." Drake said solemnly, reverently. 

"Huh?" she wasn't quite sure what he meant by that.

"All the nobles think about are the big events. The grand balls, the press appearances, the banquets... They don't even realize that the moments that matter the most are all the ones they're missing. Moments like right now, just the two of us in some dark wine cellar. The ones that really mean something. At least, it means something to me, anyway."

"Drake... I really value our friendship." she murmured, smiling.

"Slow down, Vitalia. I said I could tolerate you better than the rest, not that we're  _friends_."

"Uh huh. So this sappy toast is about... us being acquaintances?" Airili raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Just clink my glass and drink." he groaned, rolling his eyes. She chuckled before clinking their glasses together and finishing her glass. Drake finished his as well. "Now, it's getting late, and I don't want to get you in any trouble."

"That's so thoughtful of you." She feigned shock and he glared.

"I'm a gentleman, even if not one by birth." He stated, giving her a smile before trekking up the stairs and heading to his room. "G'night, Vitalia." 

"Good night, Drake." Airili called, carefully replacing the bottle she had drank from and heading up stairs. She glanced at a clock and saw that it was nearly eleven.

She was about to head to her room but her eyes drifted towards the stairs and she thought about Thomas. He had invited her up to his room tonight. But she seriously doubted it would go too far. She didn't want to leave him alone especially since he probably felt a little lost after the events of this evening. She carefully made her way to the stairs, checking for creaks so that she didn't announce her behavior to the entire chateau.

She paused when she heard steps coming down the other flight of stairs above her and she jumped the railing to dive under the stairs.

"Hello?" It was Tariq who now sounded rather alarmed by her not-quite-as-stealthy-as-she-would've-liked-retreat. "Is someone there?"

Tariq did have a use in this situation though. She was able to map out all the creaky places as he stepped around, looking in the shadows anxiously. 

"I'm just... going to go over here. Please don't murder me." He headed off in a direction and once the footsteps faded, she made her way up the stairs and down the hall, knock very quietly on Thomas' door. After a moment he answered the door and a big grin appeared on his face.

"Welcome." he greeted, stepping to the side to let her in and closing the door quietly once she was inside. "I take it nobody saw you."

"I was stealthier than a cat on the prowl." she assured with a chuckle and he gave one as well. She took a moment to look around his room. It's walls were a deep burgundy, lined with expensive dark, polished wood. The bed was huge. She could probably stay in bed with him for a week and they might never roll into each other depending on his sleeping habits. There was a nice, bear-skin rug that Airili couldn't help but entertain the idea of doing some rather inappropriate actions with Thomas on. Her eyes fell back onto the prince and he offered her his hand.

"I want to show you something." he explained with a giddy smile. She felt her mouth morph to match and took his hand, following him as he lead her out to a patio outside his room.

The patio was somehow the staple of the suite, though Thomas had taken his time to embellish it, creating a lovely ambiance with dozens of candles, and a few lanterns. In the distance, there were warm lights from the nearest down and the snow covered mountains glowed with assistance from the moon, making the contrast between the horizon very bold.

"Wow... this view." Airili murmured, rather surprised. 

"Beautiful, isn't it?...Now you see why I wanted to share it with someone."

"Did you... light these candles for us?" she asked, touched by the effort he had made, and very glad she had decided to stay up a little later to see him.

"Oh! I..." a bright blush covered his face and he looked away just little. "Well, yes. I wanted this to be... magical." 

"Thomas..." She smiled, turning to face him.

"Was it..." he paused, trying to find the right words. He features melted into a nervous frown. "Do you like it?"

"I think I'm going to have to show you how much I like it." she mused, leaning into Thomas and pulling him into a rather steamy kiss. He melted into it after a moment, hands seeking her waist to pull her closer. "Does that answer your question?" she asked with a small smile as she pulled away.

"Yes ma'am." he answered, voice half an octave higher than usual. He cleared his throat. "Airili... I've never really had someone that I wanted so badly to please. I feel like I'd do anything to see you smile and know that I was the cause."

"Thomas..." she blushed a little as his kind words, feeling like they meant the world to her.

"Ahem. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get into the hot tub." he smiled, starting to take off his nice jacket, shirt and trousers, hanging them on the railing. "Brisk." Airili couldn't help but stare at his toned form. He took notice and smirked. "Your turn"

She couldn't help but try and think of a way to make this a little more unique, something she could be sure no other lady at court would ever enjoy the same way. She was allowed to be just a little selfish.

"You know, I've got  _all_ these layers, and we could be here all night if I don't have a little help removing them." she said coyly. He smiled. 

"I would be a terrible gentleman if I didn't help a lady in need." he agreed, stepping behind her and carefully undoing her dress. His hands shook slightly, but she couldn't be sure if it was just nerves or the cold. Once he had unzipped it, he gently slid it off her shoulders, unable to stop himself from exploring her features with his eyes once the many volumes of fabric his the ground.

"Wow... that  _is_ brisk." She admitted, not realizing how warm the dress had been keeping her. Now they were both standing on a patio in their underwear while snow delicately sprinkled the landscape.

"Then let's warm up." he suggested, stepping into the hot tub and offering her hand to help her in. She took it and sighed contently as they hid from the cold in the hot water.

"Ohhhh. This feels nice." After skiing and dancing her feet off, this hot tub was exactly what she needed.

"There are few things better than a hot tub in the snow." Thomas mused and she nodded in agreement. She found a jet that wasn't too powerful and leaned against it with a pleased hum. "Airili, I feel like I've been waiting for this moment the entire trip." he murmured, taking her hand and giving it a little squeeze.

"I know what you mean." Olivia had been rather skilled at making sure Airili and Thomas had as little time together as possible, but there were some things that were out of her control. Like Thomas inviting her to enjoy his suite. "Thomas, we're finally alone together." 

It had been a while since they got to enjoy each other's company without eyes for more than just a few moments.

"Exactly." he agreed, scooting closer to her so that his arm draped behind her on the rim of their very nice jacuzzi. "I feel like I can be myself around you. You don't know how rare that is for me. I've spent so long building up an image for the rest of the world... but you let me just be Thomas."

"I happen to like Thomas." she retorted with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. You may be the only woman here who truly knows me." That was quite possibly the sexiest sentence she'd ever heard him say. "That's why I've got to be careful with you."

"Careful?" she frowned, looking at him with a concerned expression, but knowing that he'd speak his mind.

"I would never forgive myself if I... if I hurt you in any way." he explained, lifting their entwined hands out of the water to press hers to his lips.

"I know what I'm getting myself into." she promised, giving his hand a squeeze to reassure him. "Besides, you're the model of a good person. You're always thinking of others and putting them first... whether it's Olivia, your people, or your friends. You're loyal, caring, and sweet. I feel lucky to know you."

"You're far too kind, Airili." he murmured, resting his forehead against hers.

"I'm just calling it like I see it!" she explained, eyes fluttering closed as she relaxed.

"I thoroughly believe that if you thought I was a pompous ass, you wouldn't hesitate to tell me." he chuckled, tangling their fingers together. "I trust you, Airili. Everything you say." with that he pulled her closer so that her legs draped over his. "Maybe that's why I'm drawn to you."

She smiled, leaning in ever so slightly to press a tender kiss to his lips.

"Airili..." he said her name like it was the most beautiful word to him, kissing back lovingly. He cupped her cheek, breaking the kiss to stare into her eyes with his own dark brown eyes, pupils blown wide.

"What is it?" she asked, knowing he stopped for a reason.

"I was just thinking... what does love mean to you, Airili?" he asked quietly, hanging on her every breath.

"Love is... sacrifice, dedication, and commitment." she answered thoughtfully. She had definitely achieved that with him. She threw out her old life in New York for the chance to become his queen. She couldn't imagine her heart wavering from his with how incredibly sweet he was at every opportunity. And she was very much committed to making him smile in a world where he felt like he couldn't.

"All important to making a relationship work." he agreed, seeming like his mind was distracted.

"What about you?"

"I don't know that I've ever thought about it in the past." he admitted, closing his eyes and relishing her touches as she reached up to stroke his hair. "I certainly wasn't raised to have any expectation of romance in my life. It was only when I saw my brother fall completely in love that I realized how important... how  _life-changing_ love can be."

"What are you saying?" she asked curiously, knowing he was dancing around the subject he wanted to broach.

"I'm saying..." He paused, a miserable frown appearing on his features. "Oh, Airili. I shouldn't be saying anything to you, not right now. Part of me is furious with myself that I'm not treating everyone fairly like a good prince should. But the other part of me wants to damn all these princely responsibilities and throw myself into you."

"Thomas..." she had no idea how torn her presence made her and yet he seemed to relish in it. She shifted to give him room. "Should I leave? I don't want you to feel torn because of me."

"No..." he answered, wrapping himself around her. "Don't go, yet. In this moment, let's just enjoy this little time together while it lasts." His arm once again wrapped around her, gently pulling her to him and she smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I treasure all of our moments together, Airili."

"Me too."

They quietly watched the view of the mountains together, finding a simple amazement in the way the moonlight glistened off falling snowflakes. At one point, Airili drifted off to sleep with Thomas as her pillow but she woke before he woke her.

"It's getting late." her murmured, cupping her face with a small frown.

"Yeah..." Airili had a frown to match, staying the night on Thomas' bed sounded incredibly tempting but also completely unachievable. 

"We should head in." he murmured, making no effort to move.

"You're right." Airili yawned, shifting to get out. "But I enjoyed it while it lasted."

"Me too." he smiled softly, finding her yawn to be completely adorable.

"I'll see you soon?" she asked, never knowing when her next chance to see him would arrive.

"You know I can only stay away from you for so long." he smiled, helping her back into her dress and guiding her through his room to his door. She waved farewell and finally retired for the night, content with how it had gone despite Olivia's best efforts.

A few more uneventful days at the Nevrakis Chateau passed and soon Airili found herself outside, next to Maxwell and their pile of luggage.

"Looks like everyone's just about ready." Maxwell observed, eyes scanning over the other nobles also awaiting their cars.

"I can't believe it's time to go." Olivia sighed with a frown. She had obviously found some sort of comfort in being able to share her home with the Cordonian court.

"I'm ready to get back to somewhere a little warmer." Kiara admitted with a smile, putting on a scarf as if to prove her point.

"There you are, Airili." Hana grinned, approaching her and Maxwell. "Are you excited for the Royal Regatta tomorrow?"

"The Royal Regatta?" Airili repeated blankly.

"That's the ceremonial boat race." Maxwell explained. "Your next big event! You've been to a regatta before, right?"

"Errr..."

No. No, she had not.


	9. Race to the Finish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for being late. I promise I'm trying my best to catch up. I just didn't take into account that December is always crazy busy for me even without a list of due dates for writing. I will try to get caught up, but I do have a couple things I have to get done this week unrelated to writing, so we'll see how that goes.

The trip back had been just as long as the trip there, but planning allowed for the nobles to have the rest of the day to prepare for the Regatta Tomorrow. Bertrand and Maxwell were occupied and since Airili didn't know the first thing about preparing for a Regatta, she stayed in bed and read. 

The next morning, she was up and eager to see what the Regatta was all about. She got dressed in some relatively casual clothes and went to eat breakfast. Maxwell and Bertrand decided to walk her to her room to prepare for the event.

"Ahhhhhh... It's nice to be back." Maxwell sighed contently, basking in the ambiance of the palace halls. "Don't get me wrong. I loved our ski chateau adventure, but give me a good beach party any day!"

"Is that's what going on today? I thought we were watching a bunch of boats race." Airili teased with a smirk.

"Well, the Royal Regatta is a morning of sailboat races..." Maxwell agreed, pausing for dramatic effect. "Followed by an afternoon beach party!"

"Hold up. Something is different today..." That's when Airili noticed it. They were talking casually and Bertrand had been quiet this whole time, instead of correcting them or critiquing their choice of words. "It's  _Bertrand_. He hasn't said anything grumpy all morning." 

"Uh... what?" Bertrand asked, eyebrows raising in concern as he looked at her.

"Normally, you'd be saying things like... 'It's not a beach  _party_ , it's a dignified beach  _soiree.'"_ Airili explained, voice deepening to attempt a proper imitation. "Or... 'Don't embarrass House Beaumont, commoner.'"

"He does say that stuff, doesn't he?" Maxwell mused with a giggle.

"I suppose I've been distracted lately," Bertrand admitted, frowning. "I've been dealing with some complicated matters concerning our estate."

"Oh... Sorry to hear that." Airili said honestly. Bertrand gave her a stiff nod.

"...Thank you, I suppose." he straightened his jacket and his posture. "Now, I apologize for being distracted. You have my full attention. I have to ask, is that what you plan on wearing, Airili?"

"And he's back." she frowned, looking down at the pair of capris and the plain, lilac shirt she'd been wearing. 

"I think she looks good..." Maxwell defended, shrugging. 

"Be that as it may, you may want something more seaworthy. Not only will you be participating in the first race--"

"Wait, I'm going to be what?" Airili asked, shock filling her expression. Bertrand's eyes narrowed and he cleared his throat.

"But the Regatta is open to the public, so the press will be there to take photos and do interviews. It might behoove you to wear something more... nautical." Bertrand continued as if she had not interrupted him.

"Can we go back to that part where I'm  _racing_?" Airili questioned, looking incredibly concerned.

"Anytime a social season involves picking a royal bride, the first race of the Regatta is traditionally one that all the suitors participate in," Bertrand explained with a sigh. "It's mostly for show really..."

"There's no pressure to win then..." Airili sighed in relief, relaxing her shoulders.

"Oh, there's pressure." Bertrand countered, making her stiffen again. "The Regatta is one of King Constantine's favorite events. He bestows an honor upon the woman who wins the ceremonial race, so it's an opportunity to get in his good graces. But you needn't worry. I've commissioned a qualified crew to man your boat. You just worry about looking good at the railing." 

"So... what you're saying is I should go to the boutique?" she frowned, looking down the hall they'd just come from.

"It wouldn't hurt to  _look_..." Maxwell reasoned, giving her an encouraging smile. Bertrand raised an eyebrow as if daring her to argue with him.

"...On it," she said, going down the hall and to the boutique.

She milled through the mountains of options, picking things to make her outfit until she finally had one that she thought would look great. 

It was a mid-sleeved, knit shirt with black and white stripes that she tucked into a pair of loose mid-thigh shorts with a high waist. For a belt, she grabbed a white rope and thread it through the belt loops, pulling out her phone and learning to tie a sailor's knot in it. She put on a pair of high-end tennis shoes and an assortment of nautical looking bracelets. She critiqued herself in the mirror and smiled.

"Anchors aweigh!" she murmured, trying to get into character for the event. "Here we go!"

The ride to the docks was a short one. The capital of Cordonia wasn't a terribly big city and with the palace sitting in the center. Within twenty minutes, Airili found herself on the docks, looking out over the ocean. 

Flags were draped from the edges of the docks and the water was littered with dozens of boats with colorful flags and sails. The salt air was brisk since it was just after eight in the morning and the skies were clear and bright. The air was cold, but the sun beamed down, causing everyone to feel pleasantly warm.

"This is great!" Maxwell sighed as he breathed in the sea air. "The weather's perfect!"

"Yeah... sun's out, fun's out!" Airili agreed, taking in the sights of both commoners and nobles milling around the docks. It really was a perfect day for this event and she couldn't help but bask in the sun's light.

"All right, that's enough of that, you two." Bertrand scolded, shaking his head. "Keep your wits about you. Lady Airili, you must always remember that in a crowded venue like this, a photo can be taken at any time... Refrain from silliness. And a word of advice... If the press corners you, be sure to hint that the Prince likes you, but you don't want to be too obvious about it."

"Got it. We're close, but not  _too_ close." Airili summarized, giving Bertrand a reassuring look. 

It was then that Airili noticed the face she wanted most to see, approaching her through the crowd. Thomas was weaving through attendees, giving nods of greeting and promising to talk later. When he was close, Bertrand noticed him.

"Ah, the Prince. Maxwell an I will get the paperwork squared away. You go mingle." Bertrand commanded softly, adding as an afterthought, "Our yacht will be docked at gate B."

With that, Maxwell and Bertrand were gone and their company was replaced by a prince eagerly making his way to her.

"Airili..." he greeted with a small smile. "Fancy seeing you here. It must be a strange coincidence we keep showing up at the same events..."

"Fate must be on our side." she teased back with a grin. He leaned forward and pressed an incredibly gentle kiss to her cheek.

"You look beautiful today, by the way," he whispered in her ear, breath warming her ear despite the light breeze. "I like the rope belt..."

"Heh, hopefully, I won't have to use it..." She mused, focusing on taming her beating heart. "But I  _do_ have a race to win today..."

"Ah yes, the ceremonial race." he agreed, face once again forming into its typical princely expression. "You know, it's an honor to be part of the Regatta tradition."

"The tradition of rich people having private boats?" Airili questioned with a raised eyebrow. Thomas shook his head.

"The Regatta's more symbolic than that. Since Cordonia isn't' very big, we don't have many glorious battles as part of our identity... or at least, we haven't for several hundred years." Thomas explained, looking out over the ocean. "But we do have a defining moment. When a storm ravaged our neighbors across the sea, Cordonians responded by manning every available boat to bring humanitarian supplies to the devasted area. It was one of our finest hours. So, this Regatta symbolizes the generosity of the Cordonians and the strong bonds we've forged with our neighbors." 

"That's very noble." Airili agreed, pleased to learn the hidden meaning behind this event. "I'm honored to participate. Now, tell me the truth... are you enjoying yourself?"

"It's a beautiful day, the staff has been well-prepared, and we're ready to celebrate our fine seafaring tradition," Thomas answered easily. "My father, in particular, seems in high spirits. But he always loves this event." 

"That's all good... But you didn't answer my question, and you're not even smiling!" she countered, nudging him gently with her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Well..." Thomas blushed, surprised to have been called out or seen through. He shifted awkwardly on his feet, looking down at the wood supporting them and biting his lip. "My father loves the Regatta so much, I've never had the heart to tell him that I hate sailing."

"Thomas..." It was moments like this where she realized she had no idea how much pressure Thomas was always under. She did want to brighten his mood though. "Really? I thought you were descended from Poseidon." she teased and it caused him to chuckle.

"Ha. Maybe I'd like boats more if that were the case." he mused, giving her a thankful look. "I actually used to enjoy sailing, but one experience soured me on it." 

"What's the story there?" Airili questioned, wondering if she was about to hear another tale of the misadventures he had as a child.

"Let's say I once felt the call of freedom on the sea," he admitted, looking at the sea with a sad expression. "When Drake and I were young boys, we snuck out with one of the royal sloops. The weather had been sunny but turned gray and windy when we reached a few kilometers out. We probably could've managed if we'd been more experienced, but the choppy waters capsized our boat. We had to swim back. I'm not sure which was worse, the cold or the taste of saltwater. Even worse, we had to push the boat all the way back to shore so we wouldn't get in trouble!" 

"Wow..." Airili frowned, looking up at him. That was a very understandable reason to not like sailing. "That must have been awful!"

"It was a pretty miserable experience, though I can laugh about it now!" Thomas reasoned, expression softening slightly. "We were cold, wet, and exhausted... but we survived. Anyway, I've never told anyway that story. No one ever found out what we did... although my interest in sailing did drop quite a bit after that."

All thoughts flew from Airili's mind a moment later when trumpets blared through the sounds of the chattering crowd. All conversations stopped and the attention turned to a raised dais, where King Constantine was standing proudly. 

"Oh, it's time for my father's opening remarks," Thomas explained quietly, watching his father next to her.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Cordonia... I welcome you all!" Constantine greeted with a kind but excited smile. The crowd shifted some as reporters prepared their equipment and stepped near the dais to properly record the king's speech. "Today is a momentous day. As you know, I have a soft spot for the Royal Regatta, and it remains one of my favorite events of the social season. Because this event has always held historical significance and personal importance, I have chosen today to make my announcement... That as of the end of this social season, I'll be stepping down as your reigning monarch... And in a few weeks' time, Prince Thomas will be your new king." Thomas looked just as surprised as everyone else in the dock, jaw actually dropping. Reporters buzzed with questions but the King calmly raised his hand and quieted them. "I expect you all have questions. I promise you in due time that I'll release an official statement. For today, allow an old man time to enjoy the festivities. Let the Regatta begin!"

Thomas grabbed Airili's hand, guiding her further down the dock and away from the crowd. He was obviously trying to cope with the surprise announcement and she wasn't about to abandon him when he needed her support the most. 

"Thomas... Are you okay?" she asked tenderly as he stood quietly staring out at the sea, squeezing her hand urgently. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. But it's... a shock, let's say." Thomas said after a few slow breaths, eyes finally finding Airili's face again. "I always knew my father would retire... Just not so soon. To realize that I'm going to become King in a matter of weeks... Well. That's a lot."

"Not many guys have to ascend to the throne  _and_ choose a wife all at once..." she murmured understandingly, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. 

"It means that my future bride will be thrown directly into the role of queen." Thomas frowned, slowly releasing her hand. 

"It seems like this really caught you off-guard," she observed, concerned.

"My father usually keeps my counsel on all matters," Thomas explained, glancing over his shoulder to watch his father for a moment. "I wonder why he didn't discuss this with me... But I'll talk to him later. For now, he's right. We should just try to enjoy today."

"Thomas..." Airili knew he was going to put on a mask and pretend everything was alright for the entire event. But before she could rest a comforting hand on his shoulder, she noticed some press members not far off, approaching them. 

"We should answer a couple questions to satisfy them," Thomas suggested quietly, putting on his most princely smile. "Time to put our best smiles on..."

"No can do," Airili replied, smirking. "I only reserve my best smiles for you..." This caused a chuckle to leave Thomas and a more genuine smile appeared on his lips.

"At least give them half your best." he encouraged, turning to greet the press.

"Your Highness..." Donald Brine greeted with a smile. "A few questions please?"

"Of course..." Thomas nodded.

"The King's announcement was quite a surprise! What do you think about it? When did you find out?"

"As much as I'd love to answer, my father has made it clear he'll issue a statement later. For now, I can't comment." Thomas replied dutifully. 

"If you can't talk about the announcement, then we'll have to talk about something else..." Donald mused, eyes flitting between Airili and the Prince. "You're looking awfully friendly with the Mystery Woman..."

"Is that what they're calling Lady Airili?" Thomas questioned, raising an eyebrow and glancing at her with an amused glint in his eyes.

"The public does find her an enigma. But let's cut to the heart of the real mystery..." Donald smirked. "What's the connection between you two? After all, the social season's more than half over. And with the King's announcement, you're basically choosing the future queen in a matter of weeks..."

"I was aware my future bride would be queen," Thomas stated neutrally. "The immediacy of my becoming king doesn't change much at this time..." 

Cameras flashed and Airili took a step to stand evenly next to Thomas. 

"You want to know what's going on between the Prince and me?" she asked and the press hung on her every word. "Well, I care for him, but we're still getting to know one another." Thomas gave her a soft smile. 

"I couldn't have put it better myself." he agreed, nodding.

"Do you feel the same way about Lady Airili, Your Highness?" Donald questioned, looking at the Prince expectantly. 

"Yes, I care for her." Thomas agreed, smile not fading. "But as she said, we're still learning about one another." 

"Now that's something that the people will love to know..." Donald mused, making a few notes in a pad he had in his hand. Ana De Luca stepped up next.

"Lady Airili, surely you're aware of the historical significance of the Royal Regatta..." she started, looking pointedly at Airili. "Do you have anything to say on this momentous day about it?"

"Of course, the Regatta is symbolic of Cordonia's generous spirit!" Airili said confidently. "The people's effort to give humanitarian aid and relief is truly inspiring, and I believe it represents Cordonia's interconnectedness with its neighbors."

"Well-put." Thomas nodded his approval, glad she could adapt and remember their conversation from earlier. 

"I agree," Ana confessed, smiling. The press was about to buzz with more questions but Thomas stepped towards them.

"As wonderful as it has been to connect with you all, the races are about to start, and Lady Airili's due at the starting line..." he reminded and the reporters nodded in unison.

"One last thing!" Donald called, throwing on his best smile. "Can we get a photo of the two of you together?"

"Of course." Thomas agreed, body shifting naturally into a relaxed, confident, but regal stance. Mr. Brine raised his camera and the rest of the press followed his example. Airili gracefully shifted to the tip of her toes and kissed Thomas' cheek gently, causing a smile to spread across his face.

" _Perfect,_ " Donald commented with a satisfied look at his camera. "Thank you, Your Highness, Lady Airili... It's been an absolute pleasure."

"You're welcome." Thomas smiled kindly, giving a wave as they went on their way to the starting line to record the first race. He shared a glance with her and they started to make their own way to the docks. "I think that went well..."

"Oh?" Airili raised an eyebrow with a smile.

"I can tell by now when they like someone," Thomas explained, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. "I'm glad... The people take their cues from the press. Come on, the race is going to start soon! We should get you to your boat."

They arrived at Gate B with a few minutes to spare. Maxwell was aboard an expensive-looking yacht, waving at them.

"Airili, over here!" he pointed to the place where she could board.

"Your ride awaits..." Thomas smiled, looking at her with a soft expression.

"You're not coming with me?" She teased, a little disappointed that they'd have to separate for now. "You can witness my triumph first-hand..."

"I wish I could, but my place is with the King right now," Thomas admitted sincerely. "I'll witness your victory from there. Good luck!" 

Thomas made his way to sit with the King and Airili focused herself on boarding the yacht. Drake and Maxwell were running back and forth across the deck, preparing the boat to sail. 

"Drake? What are you doing here?" she asked, a little surprised to see him. "Maxwell, didn't you leave with Bertrand? And shouldn't there be other people? Like... an actual crew?'

"Yeah,  _Maxwell._ What happened?" Drake asked, eyes narrowing at the Beaumont. 

"Well... I have good news and bad news." Maxwell frowned, looking at the wood below his feet. 

"Tell me the bad news first," Airili stated, knowing she would dwell on the bad news if it wasn't followed by a silver lining.

"The bad news is that the actual crew dropped out..." Maxwell confessed with a blush. "Something about not paying upfront? But good news... you still  _have_ a crew. In fact, Drake volunteered to help out!"

"He 'volunteered'" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Maxwell begged me," Drake explained plainly. 

"I thought I was rather dignified." Maxwell defended childishly. 

"Practically in tears, actually," Drake added with a smirk. 

"And you both... know about sailing?" Airili asked hopefully.

"I used to  _own_ several boats, and Drake is an excellent boatman!" Maxwell assured with a firm nod. 

"Drake, from what I hear, you're terrible with boats!" Airili called him out, a little concerned that she'd have to push a boat back to shore at eight forty-five in the morning. "I just heard a story about a capsized boat from Thomas that says Drake isn't." 

"He told you about that?" Drake blushed, looking a little surprised. "Okay, that was bad, but after that whole mess, I decided I'd spend a summer learning how to sail properly... Trust me, you're in good hands. At least mine. Can't speak for Maxwell." 

"Hey!" Maxwell scowled.

"Wait, what about Bertrand? Why isn't he here?" Airili questioned, knowing that Bertrand should be on board if it meant her somehow becoming queen since it would open up financial opportunities for him. 

"His words were, and I quote, ' _Have we fallen so far? Is this what becomes of House Ramsford_ _?'"_ Maxwell answered, doing a rather accurate imitation of his brother. "And then he muttered something about ruin and reducing our name to rubble and then I  _hope_ he went to get a drink or something after that." 

"Sounds about right," Airili admitted with a sigh. "What about Tariq? He looks like a guy who could sail a boat."

At that Drake broke into a fit of giggles, actually doubling over and sitting down so he didn't lose balance.

"It was only a thought." Airili glared at the man, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry to say, Vitalia, you're not going to be cruising around like the other ladies." Drake stated, pushing himself off the deck floor and dusting himself off. "You're going to have to do some work to help us win. I hope you're up to the job."

"Drake, trust me, I'm up to it," Airili said seriously, straightening her shoulders. She was determined to win this race, not just to get into the King's good graces, but to relieve Thomas of some pressure too.

"Well, we're about to find out," Drake muttered, untying the final rope holding them to the dock and taking his place next to Maxwell. "Casting off!"

Drake grabbed a rope hanging from the sails and tugged, unfurrowing the sails. Maxwell helped steer the boat to the starting line. Dozens of boats lined up. But closest to Airili's boat was Hana's and Olivia's, and naturally, the redhead on the left noticed this.

"Good luck to you both!" Hana called out with a smile, waving at Airili who waved back with a matching smile. 

"I don't need luck," Olivia stated with a smirk. "I know I'm going to win! I hope you both like  _losing!"_

Airili frowned, turning to her 'crew.'

"Maxwell, how do we win this thing?" she asked, ready to try her hardest. 

"Airili, you'll be watching the wind indicator for us," Maxwell instructed, showing her what to focus on. "Whenever it shifts, tell us, so we can adjust the sails." 

"We'll tell you what else needs to be done as it comes," Drake assured, shifting into position.

"Sounds doable..." Airili bit her lip, not so sure this wouldn't be a disaster. 

"Looks like the race is about to start!" Maxwell said excitedly, prepared to do what he needed to get the boat moving again. 

King Constantine was standing on a platform, not far from the starting line with Thomas and Regina on either side of him. In his hand was a gun, loud enough to make the sound the sailors needed to know the race had begun.

"Racers, ready!" he commanded clearly, finger moving to the trigger.

"Here we go..." Drake smiled, grabbing the rope that would set the racing. The gun fired and with a fast tug of that rope, the boat took off.

"And go!" Constantine called with a grin.

Airili's boat was starting out second, with Olivia in the lead, smugly smiling at her.

"I'll be waiting at the finish line!" she promised, waving. 

The wind picked up the further out they got.

"Hold it steady," Drake called to Maxwell. Airili's eyes focused on the indicator and a moment later, the needle shifted directions.

"The wind changed!" she informed loudly enough for them to hear.

"Adjusting sails!" Maxwell chimed in response. Both men were bustling around the desk, fixing the angles of the sails, doing what needed to be done. Maxwell handed Airili a rope.

"Hey, Airili, tie this down for us!" Maxwell smiled encouragingly. "We need to hold the sail in place!"

She took the rope and wrapped it around the notch nearest to her. Remembering how she had fastened her belt earlier, she tied the rope into a sailor's knot.

"Perfect." She murmured with a pleased smile, tugging the rope to make sure it was secure.

She glanced towards the horizon and spotted a buoy in the distance. 

"There's the halfway point!" Maxwell called, pointing at it. "We just have to turn around the buoy and head back to the finish line!" 

"We're coming in too fast!" Drake warned, grabbing something sturdy. "Brace yourself!"

The turn was a tight one and some water skimmed the edge of the deck. Airili grabbed onto the boat and held on until the boat evened out again. The deck was now sprinkled with an even layer of water but neither Maxwell or Drake seemed to mind.

"Let's keep going." Drake encouraged, hands working quickly. "We're almost there." 

"Wind's picking up in our favor!" Maxwell said with a grin.

"Back to stations!" Drake ordered. "Vitalia, secure the jib."

"And that means to...?" Airili asked loudly, hands up in the air to show she had no idea what that meant.

"Catch the wind coming from behind us!" Drake explained with a grunt as he tugged on a rope. 

Airili rushed to the front of the boat to redirect the front sail to catch the wind. She held it firmly, watching the sail swell and feeling the boat race forward.

Olivia's boat came nearer and nearer until finally, their boat passed it.

"What?!" Olivia turned to shriek orders at her poor crewmen. "Make the boat go faster!"

A few minutes later, they sailed over the finish line and Airili grinned.

"We did it!" she cheered, turning to look at Drake and Maxwell with grateful eyes. Maxwell let out a whoop.

"You really pulled through for us, Vitalia," Drake confessed with an approving smile. She glanced out toward the land to find the King and Thomas applauding the victor with bright smiles.

Drake and Maxwell steered the boat to the docks and all the ladies disembarked from their boats. Airili stepped of her boat to find Thomas and Constantine waiting to greet her.

"Congratulations, Lady Airili..." the King stated, nodding with an approving grin. "That was some impressive sailing out there."

"I can't take all the credit, sir..." Airili confessed, veins still filled with adrenaline. "Just most of it." 

Constantine broke into an amused laugh, clapping his son on the shoulder.

"This girl has a sense of humor, Thomas." 

"I know, Father." Thomas smiled, eyes fixed on her. 

"Lady Airili, I commend you and your crew," Constantine stated dutifully. "Please enjoy the rest of the festivities..." 

"I wish we could stay and chat more, but the official races are about to begin, and we need to head to our places," Thomas admitted, looking hesitant to leave again. 

"Thomas, where do we go?" Airili asked, not entirely sure where her place was.

"I'll be with the rest of the royal family," Thomas answered, looking a little solemn. "You will likely be with the other suitors on the Nevrakis yacht."

"You mean  _Olivia's_ yacht?" Airili questioned, not exactly enthusiastic the fact that she'd have to spend a great deal of the rest of the morning in Olivia's company.

"I know you two don't get along... but the party she hosts should be fun." Thomas murmured with an understanding frown. "Perhaps you and Hana can keep each other company." 

Trumpets interrupted them for the second time today and Airili gave Thomas an encouraging smile. 

"You should go. I think that's your cue." she saw him hesitate and she mimed for him to go. "I'll be fine, wherever I end up."

He seemed to be assured by this and gave her a small bow before making his way back to where the royal family was seated. Airili watched him go until she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned to see Hana in a light pink halter shirt and a pair of khaki colored capris. 

"Hana, thank goodness." Airili smiled, glad to have someone she didn't have to be formal with. "You're going to Olivia's boat, aren't you?"

"I won't be there, sadly..." Hana frowned, shaking her head. "My parents wanted me to host my own viewing party... But unfortunately, I'm not as popular as they expected. Olivia's really got her hooks in the ladies here. My parents invited dozens of nobles, but no one accepted. But it would be the ultimate embarrassment to not even go to my own party!"

"Aw..." Airili's lips curled into a matching frown. "Sorry, Hana."

"It's not so bad. There's going to be lots of appetizers and champagne and a lovely viewing deck... all just for me, I suppose." Hana sighed.

"Hana, I'll come to your party," Airili stated seriously, hooking her arm around her best friend's. 

"Are you sure you want to hang out on my family's boat?" Hana asked, surprised.

"You think I want to share a boat with Olivia?" she questioned with a grin. "Yuck."

"Then I'm glad to come to your rescue." Hana's lips slowly shifted into a relieved smile. "Please, follow me."

They made their way to the next dock and climbed aboard Hana's yacht. It was actually a very nice boat, with cushions lining the seats along the rails. It was not meant for racing, but it didn't make it any less classy. There were chocolate-covered strawberries, a spread of light cheeses and meats, and dozens of champagne flutes sitting neatly next to about a dozen bottles of champagne. 

"Welcome to my humble yacht..." Hana gestured to the deck with a polite smile.

"Wow... Everything here is so nice." Airili admitted, eyes hovering over the expensive display.

"It's a public appearance, and my family wants to look good in front of the royal family," Hana explained, shrugging. "They think it's of the utmost importance that I impress everyone here, no matter how extravagant the display."

"You can consider me impressed." Airili quipped, nudging her with an encouraging smile. "Seriously, just one bottle of this champagne is probably worth more than what I made in a whole week waiting tables in New York."

"Well, what's mine is yours. Please, enjoy whatever you want." Hana grinned. They sat down and a waiter approached them with a set of flutes and glasses of mint water. "Well, Airili, what'll you have?"

"I'll take a mint water, please," Airili admitted, gently taking the glass and giving the waiter a grateful smile. It seemed a little early to be drinking.

"I'll have the same." Hana agreed, copying Airili's actions. Airili took a moment to realize that the boat was actually populated with at least ten waiters, coupled with twice as many ice buckets filled with chilled champagne.

"This is actually a  _lot_ of champagne, even for a party." She observed and Hana frowned.

"Well, the ship is new and hasn't been named yet. Naming it would've been cause for celebration." Hana explained, but her mood seemed to lighten. "But since you're here, I'm hoping you'll help me christen it."

"You want  _my_ help?" Airili questioned, flattered that Hana would consider it.

"Yeah! It'll be fun!" Hana confessed, grinning. She seemed to become more sure of herself as the conversation went on.

"What do you even name a ship?" Airili asked, looking around the deck. "The Flying Cordonian? Heart of Gold?"

"Aphrodite?" Hana suggested with a smirk.

"How about Cordonian Generosity? Generosity for short."

"Cordonian Generosity..." Hana tried the name on her tongue and smiled. "I like it."

"All aboard Cordonian Generosity!" Airili announced dramatically with a cheeky grin.

"Not so fast. We need to officially christen her first!" Hana chuckled, reaching over and grabbing a nearby bottle of champagne. She held it out to Airili, looking at her expectantly.

"Hana, we should do it together," Airili suggested, not wanting to take christening her own boat away from Hana.

"All right. We both named it, after all." Hana agreed. 

Together they gripped the bottle and brought it down against the railing. It shattered and champagne ran down the side of the yacht. 

"Generosity is officially in business." Airili grinned, relaxing against the pillows after letting out a cheer.

"Just in time for the race too. The boats are taking their positions." Hana informed, pointing out over the water. Airili sat up and took in the sight. A large selection of boats blocked the horizon, making a rainbow of colors appear on a blue background. "Which boat do you think is going to win?"

"The boat with the pirate flag." Airili decided after scanning the ships. Hana looked a little surprised. "What? I think pirates are cool."

"Remind me to schedule  a pirate-themed party next time." Hana mused with a grin. The gun fired into the air and the crews of each ship started on their tasks. "There they go."

Soon the colors vanished from sight and the horizon was bare again.

"How far out do they go?" Airili questioned, a little surprised that she couldn't see them anymore. The suitor race did not go that far out.

"Quite a ways," Hana answered, shrugging. "We won't see them again for another couple hours. It's a long race. In the meantime... Want to take the boat out for a ride?"

"Absolutely!" Airili agreed. She had really enjoyed sailing with Drake and Maxwell, and she could imagine how appealing sailing without being under pressure would be. Hana left Airili's side for a moment to talk to the crew and once Hana was back, the ship was moving.

The water was crystal clear. Waves distorted the view, but it was easy to tell where fish were swimming and how deep the waters below were. It was incredible.

"The view up here is amazing." Airili sighed contently. 

"I'm glad you're enjoying it." Hana chuckled, taking a bite of a chocolate strawberry. "Airili... thank you for coming to my party." 

"Honestly,  I should be thanking  _yo_ _u_ for this party," Airili replied with a gentle smile. 

"Oh, please. You're the one that's made it a party." Hana countered with a grin. "Otherwise, it would've just been an afternoon of me crying into my champagne."

"What a terrible thought." Airili agreed, clinking their mint waters together. 

Hours passed and Airili and Hana spent time snacking, joking, and taking in the beautiful sights Cordonia had to offer. And soon they saw the first of the sailboats start to appear on the horizon. 

"The boats are back," Airili announced with a grin. 

"Let's head back to see the winner," Hana suggested, mostly to the crew. As they returned, they saw the winner cross the finish line. 

"Pirate sails won," Hana said in surprise, looking at Airili with disbelief. 

"Called it," Airili stated with a grin. They watched as the royal family greeted the victors, presenting each member of the crew with medals and wreaths. "Look at those smiles."

"Yeah..." Hana sounded a little down, sighing. It caused Airili to turn to Hana with a concerned expression. 

"What's wrong?"

"They look so happy. It's just..." Hana paused, trying to find the right words. "My whole life, I've done nothing but lose."

"But you're amazing at  _everything_." Airili defended, surprised to hear Hana felt that way. 

"Nothing that really counts," Hana argued, sighing. "I lost my fiance. I lost my family's respect. They think I'm a complete failure."

"Hana... You don't need praise from your parents." Airili promised, taking Hana's hand and giving it an encouraging squeeze. "Once you realize that other people's approval doesn't matter, then it's easy to see that the only person you need to please is yourself."

"There is wisdom in that..." Hana agreed, a smile slowly appeared on her lips. "But I wouldn't mind some praise from those close to me... like you, Airili."

Airili stood up and made her way to a bottle of champagne, gesturing for Hana to come over.

"You know... we could have our own victory celebration right now," Airili said with a smirk.

"For what?" Hana asked, bewildered. 

"We're going to celebrate our friendship," Airili stated matter-of-factly. "I left New York not really knowing what would be on the other side when I landed... I'm just glad I have a friend like you." With that, Airili shook and opened the bottled and aimed the spray at Hana with a giggle. The bottle was impartial and sprayed them both. Hana let out a yelp before jumping away from the spray and laughing.

"That was a sneaky attack!" Hana called with a grin.

"Your point?" Airili smirked, glad to see her friend smiling so genuinely. Hana reached for a nearby bottle and returned fire. And Airili let out a delighted squeal. 

"Gotcha!" Hana shouted victoriously. 

This expensive war continued until the last of the bottles had been used and they were covered in champagne. They laid on the cushions, letting the sun dry them as they enjoyed some more chocolate-dipped strawberries. 

"We're nearly back to shore..." Hana noticed, eyes focused on the land they were fast approaching. "I can't believe the Regatta is already over! I was really dreading today... But thanks to you, it was more fun than I ever expected!" 

"Hana, I had fun too." Airili agreed with a smile.

"Good." Hana grinned, sitting up and looking apologetically at a man who was mopping champagne off the deck. 

Once the yacht docked, they climbed off onto the dock approaching the other ladies of the court. 

"Now the  _real_ party begins!" Hana said giddily. 

"Maxwell already told me how excited he is for the beach party..." Airili admitted with a smile.

"It's not just a party. It's an extravaganza!" Olivia defended. This was the first time Airili observed Olivia's outfit. It was a tight, black and white striped t-shirt and some blue denim shorts.

"The press will certainly be in attendance..." Kiara agreed with a nod. She was wearing a light blue off the shoulder shirt and some white capris. 

"And it means more time with the Prince too!" Penelope commented, wearing a white shirt and black jeans. 


	10. Beach Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I know, I'm still behind schedule but I'm going to catch up, I promise!

Everyone proceeded to walk to their rides, but Maxwell, Airili, and Hana stayed close, walking along the docks. Maxwell was bristling with excitement, hips swinging more than usual and hands buried in his pockets to keep them contained.

"Ready for the beach extravaganza?" he asked, a big, childish grin on his face. 

"I... think so?" Airili was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She was so used to going into these events not knowing the whole story that she was ready to believe that she was about to be told something last minute again. "Why? Is there something I should have prepped? Will the press be there?"

"Nope!" Maxwell answered cheerfully. "It's just a fun party on one of the most gorgeous private beaches in the area!" 

"That sounds amazing, and the water's so unbelievably beautiful..." Hana mused with a content smile. "I can't wait to get out of this dress and into my bikini!" Maxwell halted in his stride, a look of horror and dread appearing on his face.

"I knew I was forgetting something." He sighed softly. "Airili, you didn't happen to bring a swimsuit, did you? Never mind, we can buy one on the way..."

"Okay!" Airili agreed, turning to Hana with an apologetic expression. "Hana, why don't you go on ahead? We'll see you at the beach!"

"See you!" Hana waved, going off to her own car.

Maxwell hustled Airili to the car and instructed the driver to drive to the nearest boutique with a selection of swimwear. The arrived at the requested boutique quickly enough and Airili hurried inside to find something to wear, Maxwell quick on her heels. He searched through the racks and frowned. 

"Looks like they only have one..." he sighed softly, offering her the article to try on.

"Let's see it..." Airili looked optimistic to help Maxwell return to his 'zen' party state. She pulled the dressing room curtain closed, pulling off her outfit to try on the bathing suit. 

It was turquoise in color with silver beads lining the collar. It went down into a plunging neckline, with a white under-top to maintain her modesty. It had a tie on the hips and more silver beads in a circular pattern at the bottom of the collar. She smiled, opening the curtain and revealing the results to Maxwell. 

"That... looks good on you," Maxwell said, surprised and relieved. 

"Thanks." Airili grinned, handing him the tag. 

"Now, we better get you to this fancy beach party before we miss all the fun!" Maxwell encouraged, shoving her back in the changing room while he went to pay for her new swimsuit.  

"Let's go!" She said after she got dressed in her clothes from before, straightening out her shirt. Maxwell nodded and they hopped back into the car.

The trip to the beach was short and after ducking into a changing room, Airili emerged in her swimsuit. 

"Alright, where's Thomas at?" Airili asked with a grin, getting used to being thrown in his immediate direction. 

"Looks like he's tied up with the Queen and Madeleine right now," Maxwell admitted, frowning thoughtfully.

"Should I try to make a move?" Honestly, she just wanted to give him something to take his mind off the events of earlier today, even if it was just her company. 

"Better to bide your time," he answered decisively. "You'll likely get only one shot at spending time with him today. Better to do it when Queen Regina's not around. In the meantime, we might as well eat!"

Maxwell guided Airili to the buffet on the beach. Airili was lingering by the table, at least trying to spot Thomas' face, when Hana approached. 

"Have you tried the appetizers?" she asked with a smile, gesturing to the food behind her friend that Airili had admittedly been too distracted to notice. 

"What are they?" Maxwell asked curiously. 

"Some kind of avant-garde, gourmet seafood thing..." Hana confessed indifferently. 

"They seem a little... fishy. Literally." Airili murmured, picking one up and observing it closely. 

"It's a bit high-end, but we should give it a try." Hana mused, doing the same. 

"I'm a fan of adventurous tastes." Airili reasoned, giving it a light squeeze and finding some amusement in the bouncy texture of the dish. 

"Let's try some!" Hana encouraged, holding her serving up to her mouth. Maxwell popped one into his mouth and Airili did the same.

"Mmm, squishy!" Maxwell observed, sharing the same amusement as Airili. 

"Well, it  _tastes_ like caviar... and very expensive caviar, at that!" Hana deduced with a grin. 

"Kind of like a fresh, salty sea Jell-O..." Airili mused, chuckling. 

The three friends made their way over to the picnic area, where Drake was proudly standing next to a table piled with heavenly smelling food. He waved to catch everyone else's attention and they approached him. 

"I hope you all came hungry because the real food has arrived." Drake was wearing an uncharacteristically enthusiastic smile. 

"There's so much of it." Maxwell let out a dreamy sigh.

"Is this barbecue?" Hana questioned, rather surprised. 

"Oh, yes. Classic Americana." Drake responded with a nod. "You've got your pulled pork, chicken kebabs, brisket, ribs, vegetables, and sauces unique to regions around the world. And you can't forget the classic sloppy joe." A gleeful twinkle appeared in his eyes when he listed the last item on the selection, but Hana and Maxwell only seemed to look more confused.

"A... what?" Hana asked carefully.

"Seasoned ground beef with onions, tomato sauce, and whatever else you feel like throwing in there," Drake answered matter-of-factly.

"You had me at 'not fish.'" Maxwell confessed with a relieved grin. 

"It looks messy... but intriguing," Hana admitted, eyeing the plates of barbecue.

"Drake, I love sloppy joes!" Airili exclaimed excitedly. Court did have its charms but there was nothing more comforting than returning to her roots with a meal. "They were basically all I ate through middle school."

"Thank you, Vitalia. Somebody else around here can appreciate a simple dish." He stated this with pride as a dad might with his toddler.

"It does seem a little strange to have such casual food here." Hana mused, picking up a plate to observe it more closely.

"Thomas thought Vitalia would appreciate it," Drake admitted with a shrug. "A little taste of home."

"This was his idea? Airili asked in surprise. 

"Mostly. From a purely selfish angle, I'm not exactly a caviar and oysters kind of guy, so..." Drake smirked.

"Got it," Airili assured, filling in the blank.

"Anyway, let's dig in." Drake encouraged, sitting down with a grin. "I  _love_ a good barbecue. Reminds me of cookouts on the lawn or summers with family..."

"Aww, Drake, that's actually kind of sweet." Airili cooed and he narrowed his eyes.

"It is not." he denied. "Now, would you rather talk or would you rather eat?"

"Let's talk about what happened to the real Drake." Airili's eyes narrowed as she circled him. "You're being awfully nice. Sharing food with us... talking about family cookouts... You need to frown or something. This isn't right." she teased. Drake's face morphed into his usual, disapproving scowl.

"...Happy?"

"Mildly..." Airili stated, eyes still watching him intently while a smirk played on her lips. "I'm keeping my eye on you." 

"Don't strain yourself," Drake grumbled, attention turning completely to his plate.

The four became absorbed in eating the delicious spread of barbecue delicacies, letting out pleased hummed and occasionally reaching for more of whatever their hearts desired when it came to sauce-soaked meaty meals. Hana stared at her plate.

"So... how does one eat a 'sloppy joe'? Utensils or hands?" she questioned, looking a little lost. A quick scan of the other nobles expressions made it clear that all the other nobles were in a similar state of confusion.

"It's your choice," Drake answered dismissively.

"There's no protocol?" Hana asked, shock filling her features. "How are supposed to elegantly eat at social gatherings?"

"It's a sloppy joe," Drake stated with a sigh. "There's not going to be anything elegant about this."

"Oh my..." Hana frowned, looking for the best angle to start eating. 

"You just have to stop caring what everyone thinks, Hana. Like this." Maxwell took several sequential bites of the messy barbecue sandwich in his hand, saucy oozing out the sides and all over his face. 

"Now you're getting it." Drake encouraged with a nod. 

"I think my parents would murder me if they saw me doing that." Hana frowned. She took a fork and knife and gracefully took a bite. "Oh, this is delicious."

"Mmm, rich, tangy, sweet... and sooooo good!" Maxwell sighed, licking his fingers. 

"I accept tokens of appreciation in cash, credit, or check," Drake informed with an amused smirk. Airili's turned to share a glance with Hana, but her attention was immediately absorbed in an unfamiliar smudge of barbecue sauce all over the other girl's lips. Hana, of course, took notice of this.

"...What?" she asked with a nervous smile. 

"You, uh... you're looking pretty saucy there, Hana..." Airili explained with a small giggle as Hana's expression morphed into one of shock and horror. Hana's hands flew to her lips but accidentally smeared more sauce over her cheek.

" _Ohmygosh!_ " Hana exclaimed, looking around for a napkin. 

"Hana, don't worry." Airili soothed. "Barbecue sauce is a good look for you." 

"This may not be quite as embarrassing as the time I accidentally applied blush instead of powder to half my face." Hana sighed but she wore a smile. With napkin in hand, she gracefully dabbed away the barbecue sauce.

"Hey, according to Drake, getting messy is half the point!" Maxwell reasoned with a delighted giggle. 

"Exactly." Drake agreed with an approving nod. 

"Well, Maxwell, it looks like a sauce container exploded on you, so mission accomplished." Airili teased and Maxwell just gave a smile before busying himself with another plate of ribs.

Soon everyone had eaten their fill and were lounging in their chairs with blissful expressions as they looked up towards the clear blue sky. 

"Again. That was sooooo good..." Maxwell mused, the last one to finish his plate. 

"I'll have to ask the chefs back home to add barbecue chicken to the rotation," Hana said thoughtfully with a chuckle. 

"I don't know about your guys, but I'm ready to enjoy the water," Drake stated, pushing himself out of his chair and preparing to offer a hand to the first person that volunteered to join him.

"I'm ready to stretch out like a beached whale," Maxwell admitted with a bashful smile. 

"Suit yourself. You coming with me, Vitalia? Hana?" Drake turned to the two ladies, staring them down expectantly.

"Hang on, we need to put on sunscreen before we go," Hana stated seriously, grabbing her bag and searching through it for the bottle in question. 

"Do we really?" Drake sighed exasperatedly, shaking his head. 

" _I_ would love some sunscreen," Airili replied with a chuckle as Drake ruffled his hair.

"Luckily, I brought enough for everyone," Hana assured, smiling gently. 

Hana stood and started to slip out of her light pink sundress, revealing her bikini underneath. Drake hesitated for a moment before taking off his shirt and tossing it onto his chair. 

Hana's bikini almost looked like it was crocheted, accented by dozens of puka shells. And Drake's swim shorts were characteristically him. They were black and patterned to look like jeans. Airili could think of very little that would sum Drake better. 

Drake took the bottle of sunscreen with a heavy sigh and poured some onto his hand, rubbing them together and haphazardly rubbing it on his face before tossing the bottle to Airili.

"Thanks. That's good enough for me. I'll see you down by the water." Drake mumbled, shoving his hands into the built-in pockets of his swim shorts and making his way down to the shallows.

"Alright... Hana, you need any help?" Airili asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, please!" Hana agreed wholeheartedly. "Can you help me reach my back?"

"You rub my back, I'll rub yours," Airili suggested and once they had come to that agreement, Airili set to work on protecting Hana's back from the wrath of the sun. 

"Thanks for the help." 

"I'd be a bad friend if I let the sun burn you." Airili reasoned with a chuckle. 

"I don't want to be a bad friend either," Hana said seriously. "Turn around. It's your turn." Airili did as told and let out a surprised squeak at the frigid temperature of the sunscreen. "Your swimsuit is really pretty. You look good in it." 

"Thanks" Airili smiled, eyeing a Maxwell who looked like he had entered a food coma. 

"Alright, you're all set," Hana announced with an excited smile. 

"Let's find our wayward Drake," Airili suggested and Hana giggled with a nod.

They made their way down to the water, basking in the tepid water that washed against their ankles with every wave. Drake was further out, swimming, splashing, and diving, but he stopped the moment he spotted his friends and walked over to them.

"Come on in!" Drake called out. "The water's great." 

"I don't see why he should have all the fun." Hana mused with a chuckle. "I'm going in! Airili, you coming?"

"Let's do this!" With that Drake retreated back into the water and the ladies followed after him, letting out little whoops of celebration.

"It's colder than I thought," Hana admitted, shuddering to make her point. 

"You just need to adjust." Drake reasoned, turning to look at her. "Here, let me help." He raised his arms and sent a wave of water towards her and she let out a small yelp.

"That was a cheap shot." Hana scrunched up her nose before shooting him a playful glare. She mimicked Drake's actions and returned fire.

"Now we're talking." Drake grinned, splashing back happily. He turned to Airili and shot a wave in her direction, but it didn't quite make it to her.

"He's declaring war," Hana announced.

"It was a warning shot." Drake amended coolly. Airili nodded in understanding before quickly splashing in Drake's face. He let out a cry of surprise before entering a coughing fit.

"Get him!" Hana declared and the two ladies set to splashing him once they were sure he was fine. 

"Okay..." Drake let out a cough, smiling despite it. "I get it." 

"Don't mess with these water cannons," Airili stated, flexing her arms and receiving Hana's laughs as a reward. 

"While we're having competitions, let's race, Vitalia," Drake suggested and Airili sighed. Always with the races. 

"You're a glutton for punishment today." she mused and Drake shot her a glare. 

"We'll see how scary you are without Hana helping you out." he retorted in their usual competitive banter.

"Alright. You're on." Airili agreed, offering her hand to shake. Drake took it. 

"I'll be the judge!" Hana volunteered, raising a hand in the air. 

"We'll swim to the far end of the beach and back to these rocks," Drake announced, pointing to the markers to help Airili understand the course.

"Agreed." 

With that, Airili and Drake took their places by the rocks, preparing to swim. 

"Ready, set... channel your inner mermaid!" Hana called, bringing her arm down decisively to mark the start of the race. 

To Airili's surprise, Drake was already a great deal ahead of her and she pushed herself forward determined to at least give Drake a challenge. With more strength behind every flurry of movement, Airili started to catch up. 

They quickly approached the far end of the beach, and Airili realized that Drake's feet were within reach. With a smirk, she grabbed his ankle with one of her strokes.

"Hey! What was that?" Drake looked around, pausing in his swimming. 

"Seaweed?" she suggested and he shot her a playful glare. 

Soon they were neck-and-neck, but Airili was struggling to keep her ground as her muscles ached dully and cramped. She fought through them, using their stiffness to further propel her forward. Drake was not so determined, slowing down towards the end and Airili was officially able to take the lead, reaching Hana first with a cry of victory.

"Airili wins!" Hana announced with a grin.

"Yes!" Airili's arms shot up towards the sky.

"I thought I had it." Drake pouted, brows furrowing.

"Airili, in celebration of your victory, I want to give you something," Hana informed with a grin.

"Is it a pearl?" Airili joked, not expecting anything like that, at all. 

"You'll have to wait and see," Hana replied, diving into the water. 

The water was so clear that it was easy to spot Hana swimming to the bottom of the shallows. Before they knew she had returned to the surface, holding in her hand a brightly colored seashell. It was iridescent, sunlight reflecting off of it in such a way that it acted as a prism. Rainbows flew off the inner surface and onto Airili's face as she gazed at the intriguing shell.

"Wow..." was all Airili could manage to say. She carefully took the shell, looking it over in her hands.

"Surprise." Hana grinned. 

"How did you find this?" Airili asked curiously, managing to take her eyes off of it after a moment. 

"I saw it sitting at the bottom while you were racing. They're quite common in the area." Hana explained with a delicate shrug.

"It's so pretty." Airili mused, thumb tracing its smooth edges.

"How come I don't get anything?" Drake scowled, crossing his arms.

"Should've swam faster." Airili teased, receiving a playful shove from the man.

"Oh, I know." Hana dove back into the shallows and returned a moment later with a sand dollar resting in her hand. "For you."

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Drake questioned, frowning as he lifted it to the light to look it over. 

"You should let it go if you're not going to appreciate it." Airili reasoned, walking to shore to stow away her precious treasure. 

"Stupid... sand dollar thing," Drake grumbled, letting it drift below the surface to the shallows once more.

"I'm starting to feel cold, so I think it's time for some sunbathing," Hana admitted, following after Airili.

"It was nice to get in the water for a bit though." Airili mused with a smile. Drake and Hana nodded in agreement.

After hiding away her beach souvenir in her bag, Airili spotted Maxwell sitting on the sand looking at her and made her way over, plopping down next to him. 

"You seem a little overdressed for the beach." she greeted and Maxwell glanced down at his clothes a moment. 

"Huh?" He looked back at her with furrowed brows.

"Don't you want to kick off your shoes, at least?" she asked and the crease in his forehead vanished. 

"Hm... I guess that's a thing to do at the beach, isn't it?" Maxwell said thoughtfully, reaching for his shoes and socks and plucking them off. He buried his feet in the sand and smiled. "Now this is feeling more like a party. Are you having a good time?"

"It's nice to spend time with you," Airili admitted and once more Maxwell looked confused.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we really only see each other in between social events. I kinda like hanging out with you," she explained and a soft smile appeared on his lips.

"Well, I kinda like hanging out with you too," he replied, sighing. "I hate to ruin the moment, but I see a great opportunity for you... Look over there..." He pointed off to the distance where Penelope was standing alone, handkerchief in hand as she dabbed her eyes. "Looks like she's having a hard day."

"Yeah, poor Penelope..." Airili agreed, frowning. She had been having a blast, but that was obviously not the case for the timidest member of the court. 

"This could be your big chance to get her on your side!" Maxwell said quietly. "Remember, competitors or not, you're going to need the court to think well of you if you're going to be the next queen. So get over there and charm her!" 

Airili shook her head, shooting him a small glare before making her way over to Penelope. 

"Hello, Penelope." she greeted quietly, a sympathetic look on her face. 

"Oh, it's you," Penelope replied, frown not fading. 

"Penelope, is that any way to greet a friend?" Airili asked and a surprised expression covered Penelope's features.

"We're not friends... er... are we?" she questioned, not entirely sure of the situation.

"Perhaps not  _technically,_ but I'd  _like_ to be friends," Airili answered, daring to take a step closer. "It seems like you're having a difficult time today."

"I suppose it's obvious, isn't it?" Penelope's frown returned as she looked out over the party. "I got terribly seasick from the Regatta, and now, I'll be stuck here on this beach in the sun for hours... My advisors said I only needed to look pretty at the balls and flirt with the Prince. But it hasn't gone that way at all. Between you, Olivia, and Madeleine... I don't have any chance at all. What's the point of even staying here?"

Airili honestly hadn't expected Penelope to unload all of her burdens like that but a need to reassure the noble rushed over her. 

"Penelope... There's more to this than just the Prince." Airili assured, fingers tentatively resting on her shoulder to comfort her. 

"Huh? Like what?" Penelope asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked up into Airili's face to search for deception. 

"Like forming friendships and bonds with the other women here..." Airili reasoned, gesturing out to the many ladies that dotted the beach.

"I don't know..." Penelope admitted, biting her lip. 

"Even though we're competing now, it won't always be that way. One of us will marry the Prince, and then it's over..." Airili explained, shrugging. "We should at least try to get something more out of it, don't you think?"

"That sounds right... but I--" Penelope let out a shriek, jumping back and dropping the plate of food she'd been holding. "Eek! Oh my goodness, help! Something is  _attacking_ me!"

Airili glanced down to find a crab latched onto Penelope's foot.

"Come here, little guy..." She bent down and carefully removed the crab before releasing it back to the shore, turning to look at Penelope with a concerned look. 

"That was... Amazing!" Penelope admitted with a grin. "You  _saved_ me!" 

"Hey, you just survived being attacked by a vicious sand crab," Airili said with a smile. "Maybe you're tougher than you think." 

"Maybe." Penelope agreed. "But I'm not going to win the Prince's heart. I'm going to leave here a failure."

"Hardly." Airili countered, shaking her head. "You can still use your time here to your best advantage."

"And what's that?" Penelope questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

"By making allies. Help me get the court to see me favorably, and when I'm queen, I'll remember that you were there for me." Airili said hopefully. 

"I suppose I could put in a good word for you here and there." Penelope reasoned with a nod. 

"Thank you!" Airili replied sincerely. Penelope gave her a gentle smile before walking of and Airili started to make her way back to Maxwell. Before she could rejoin her friend, she bumped into Thomas who gave her a bright smile. 

"Airili, there you are." he murmured, giving a nod in greeting. 

"Looking for me?" she teased and he chuckled. 

"Yeah. I brought you a drink..." he murmured, raising one of the glasses in his hands towards her. "It's hot out, so I thought you'd like something refreshing..."

The drink in question was a minty lemonade complete with ice and an a refreshing aroma and in that moment. Airili realized she hadn't had much to drink today, too busy playing. She gently took the glass and sipped, letting out an approving hum. 

"Mmmm, perfect. Tart and sugary." she mused, looking up at him.

"Just like you." he replied with a smile. 

"I'm 'tart'?" she questioned and he blushed, scratching the back of his neck. 

"In a way." he agreed with a nod. "You certainly have an interesting way of letting your opinions be known..." 

"Uh-huh. Not hearing the compliment yet..." she teased. 

"...And you're incredibly sweet?" he said uncertainly. Airili let out a giggle.

"Aww, thanks..." she murmured, taking another sip. "Now, I can't believe you'd come all the way to see me just to give me a drink..."

"What if I did?" Thomas countered, smirking. "It's all part of the royal service..." 

"Oh really? What other services can I expect from the Crown Prince of Cordonia?" she questioned and he chuckled nervously.

"Well... to be honest, I was looking for you because I wanted to take you somewhere..." he admitted quietly. "I know of a special place called the Forgotten Falls... It's a short hike from here, but it's gorgeous..." 

"Is it the next stop today?" Airili asked, not really knowing the agenda past what Maxwell and Bertrand had told her. 

"Well, not for everyone." he answered, taking a conspiratory step closer. "I used to go there often as a kid. It's a really special place to me. I don't want to share it with just anyone... But it would mean a lot to me to share it with you. I'd like to go there with you now, if you're up for it..."

"Not to mention that it'd be some time... alone together." she mused with a smirk. 

"Well, yes, there's that too..." he agreed, a matching smirk appearing on his face.

"Thomas, I'd love to go to the Forgotten Falls with you." Airili assured.

"I'm glad you said that..." 

With that, Airili finished her drink and set it on a nearby table before taking his hand and following him through some brush at the edge of the beach. Within fifteen minutes or so, Airili was staring at a tall waterfall pouring into a deep, crystal clear pool surrounded by lush foliage. 

"Here we are... the Forgotten Falls. Do you like it?" he asked sheepishly.

"It's amazing!" she admitted, closing her eyes and letting the sound of the water over take her for a moment. 

"I knew you'd love it as much as I do." Thomas grinned, giving her hand a squeeze. "There's a legend about how this waterfall came to be. It's said that hundreds of years ago, there were two lovers from warring clans. They were forbidden from being together, but they would meet here, at this hidden cove, and make their plans to run away together. When the day came for them to leave, they vowed to meet here at dawn. When dawn came, the woman waited and waited, but her lover never appeared." his expression turned to a sad frown. "They say that he was caught by her people and killed. But she never had the heart to leave this spot. So she knelt on the cliffs and wept, and her tears became the waterfall, until that's all that was left of her." 

"That's a sad story." Airili murmured, looking to the tops of the cliffs where the waterfall poured from. 

"Tell me, Airili, what would you have done if you were the woman in the story?" he asked curiously.

"If I were the woman in the story, I would've waited for eternity." she said decisively. There was something so appealing about being star-crossed lovers. "There's something so sweet about it."

"I've always thought that she was waiting because she knew if she left... it would mean admitting her love was gone." Thomas admitted dismally. "There's one silver lining to this story..." 

"Oh?"

"It's said that if two lovers climb to the top of the waterfall and jump in together, they'll get the blessing of the lady of the waterfall." he explained, gesturing to the ridge.

"Is this your way of telling me we're going to jump in?" she teased and he nodded.

"Exactly." he grinned, squeezing her hand before releasing it. He unbuttoned his shirt and set it on a nearby rock. "Shall we? It seems like you're already dressed for the occasion." Airili nodded with a grin. "Now, we climb!" 

"Up the cliff face?" she questioned, looking at the steep rock. The last time they climbed together there were footholds, but this would be more difficult.

"There's not exactly an elevator way out here." he mused with a chuckle. "Are you up for it?" 

"You really want to climb way up there?" she hummed and when he gave a curt nod she took his hand. "I can make it if you help me!"

"I'll be with you every step of the way." he agreed, guiding her to the bottom of the cliff. 

Soon they were at the top thanks to Thomas' occasional boosts where Airili was too short to reach.

"Do you have a good grip?" he asked, once he had helped her up to the last ledge. 

"Yes, I think so!" she called, pulling herself up. Thomas joined her with a breathless grin, looking very much like a puppy with its head out the window. She gazed down to the clear pool below. If not for the sunlight and the waterfall, Airili could never guess that there was water there at all. "We did it!"

"I'm glad you trusted me to get you up here." he admitted with a small smile. 

"I'm starting to think I can trust you with anything." Airili mused.

"Ready to jump?" Once more Airili looked over the edge, assuring herself that the water below was not so high a jump that it would hurt too much. 

"I didn't realize how high up we are!"

"It's better if you don't think about that right now. Hold my hand." Thomas assured and Airili did as he asked. "I think some would call this a leap of faith. On three?" she nodded. "One... Two..." 

"Three!" Before Thomas knew it, she tackled him off the edge and into the water below. The water was brisk and they both swam to the surface with giggles. 

"You never cease to surprise me." he murmured, floating on his back and looking up at the sky through the canopy of leaves. Airili joined him and took his hand when he reached for her. "Thank you."

"For what?" Airili questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

"For coming here with me. For actually getting to know me. For..." he paused, taking a breath and looking at her. "For caring about me, Airili. I've never had anyone in my life like you. And now that I have you... I never want to lose you."

Airili drifted until she could stand on the rocks below the water and pulled him into a tender kiss. Her hands settled on his chest.

"Airili..." he murmured her name in praise before pulling away with a slightly surprised expression.

"You can't say all those romantic things to me and not expect to get kissed." she reasoned with a smirk, causing him to smile.

"Fair enough." he agreed, resting his forehead against hers. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it... it's just..."

"Just what?" Airili asked nervously. 

"I don't know what's going to happen... but the last thing I'd want is for you to get hurt." Thomas looked out to the water.

"Thomas... It's sweet of you to worry about me." she murmured, giving his hand a squeeze. "I know it means that you care about me." 

"I do care, Airili." he said seriously, eyes finding hers once more. "More than you know... and definitely more than I should." His gaze was intent, his hand holding hers gently. Their hearts started racing together. "Airili..." her name on his lips almost made her knees weak when he said in a low grumble like that.

In an instant, Airili pulled his lips down to hers once more and as if the action had lit a fire inside him, he kissed back without restraint, hands seeking out her hips and lifting her out of the water and onto the soft, powdery sand on the shore. He held her close, absorbed in her. The sensation left her imagining that he was all around her as he lowered his attention to her neck, mouthing at her pulse point.

"Thomas..." she moaned his name, arms wrapping around him to hold him there. 

"Airili..." he replied, eyes flickering up to her face for a moment as he continued his ministrations. 

Her fingers sought out his hair and she couldn't mind the cold of the water when he was pressed so close. After a moment or so, he pulled away ever-so-slightly to breathe, resting his forehead against hers. His pupils were blown wide with desire and another emotion she wasn't sure of. 

"We haven't known each other very long, but every moment I spend with you, I can't help but feel..." he paused as he tried to find the right word. "Airili, I think... I'm in lo-"

He paused as nearby bushes rustled and a bird shot towards the sky as a fox chased after it. Airili's attention drifted back to Thomas. 

"Er... you were saying?"

"Never mind." Thomas dismissed, clearing his throat. "It was nothing." he shook his head and reluctantly moved off of her with a regretful expression. "I suppose we should head back..."

"Yeah. We've been gone long enough that people will be starting to look for us..." Airili agreed, watching him with an even expression. She hadn't realized how much his actions just now had been a crack in his princely mask, but he was trying so desperately to be worthy of the title he was about to inherit. It was hard to tell whether moments like this were a gift to him, or perhaps they were a burden.

"No matter how much time we have together, Airili, it's just never enough, is it?" he mused and her expression softened as she nodded in agreement. 

"Not by a long shot." she replied and they quietly made their way back to the beach, Thomas putting his shirt neatly back to place as he got lost in his thoughts. The sun had started setting when they departed but when they returned to the part, stars peppered the skies above. 

"I had a good time, Airili..." Thomas said sincerely with a gentle smile. "I find myself reluctant to leave you..."

"Maybe we can just take a little while longer..." she suggested, but she knew that the likelihood of that was slim. She took his hand, giving him understanding smile. But her mind was suddenly too aware of the fact that someone was calling for Thomas. The king. Her hand shot away from his and she shared a glance with Thomas.

"Thomas?"

"Father. You're on the beach!" Thomas said in surprise.

"I have been known to leave the palace to grace our shores from time to time..." Constantine mused with raised eyebrows. 

"I just mean we rarely get the honor of your presence at the beach party after the Regatta..." Thomas amended, posture somehow straightening more.

"You have me there, but today, I thought it might be warranted." the King admitted. "I'm sure you heard my announcement earlier about my, ah, retirement..." 

"I did." Thomas confirmed with a stiff nod. 

"I feel I owe you an explanation." Constantine explained, frowning. He caught Airili's gaze. "Lady Airili, please pardon us, but I'd like to have a moment alone with my son."

"Of course, Your Majesty." she agreed, giving a curtsy. 

"I'll find you later, Lady Airili." Thomas promised with a tentative smile. With that Airili walked away to find Maxwell, dwelling on the troubled expression on the king's face. 

Soon the party was coming to an end and Airili was back in clothes, sitting in the limo next to Maxwell. Bertrand sitting on the other side of the vehicle. 

"Look who finally made it." Maxwell teased and Airili shot him a playful glare. 

"I'm sure my absence was absolutely heart-wrenching for you." Bertrand retorted.

"Aren't you sad you missed out, Bertrand?" Airili questioned and he shook his head.

"Roasting in the sun while watching little boats go by is hardly what I'd consider stimulating." he replied, scowling. "In fact, I wouldn't even be here right now if I thought Maxwell could handle this on his own."

"I can handle it..." Maxwell defended weakly with a frown. "probably..."

"Between forgetting to teach her the Cordonian Waltz and not warning her that she'd need swim attire, I'm starting to wonder if I can trust you with even the simplest tasks!" Bertrand said coldly. 

"How'd you know about the swimsuit thing?" Maxwell questioned, looking surprised to have been caught for that.

"I have my ways." Bertrand answered mysteriously before regaining composure. "And I'll be keeping a closer eye on Airili, even if it means neglecting our estate. So clear your calendars... we need to prepare for the next event."

"Can't we at least take tonight off?" Maxwell wondered with a hopeful smile. "It's been a long day... we all deserve some rest!"

"You can rest when Airili is crowned Queen of Cordonia..." Bertrand responded, scowl once again returning to his sharp features. "and from where we're standing, that's not going to be anytime soon."

"Right, sorry." Maxwell sighed softly. "What I meant was  _tonight_ I want to stay up all night to train and prepare Airili for the next event!"

"I'm glad we're in agreement." Bertrand said stiffly, turning to look at Airili. "Now... Lady Airili, we'll be preparing you for... the Apple Blossom Festival!"

"Great!" she agreed, figuring the only was she was going to get through tonight was to play it optimistically. "...What is that?"

"It's kind of what it sounds like." Maxwell answered with a nod from Bertrand. "I hope you like apples... because this festival's got a lot of them!"


	11. The Apple of His Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished Chapter 11. Sorry for the late update. I promise I'm working on getting caught up.

It had been a few weeks since the Regata and in that time, Bertrand had been rather merciless with his training Airili in how to be a proper noble lady. Airili had seen nothing of Thomas due to the lack of events and his now incredibly busy schedule in preparing to become King.    
Finally, Bertrand and Maxwell knocked on her door and told her to pack because they were going to be attending the next few events of the social season before the Coronation. Airili climbed into the limo once she was pack and slept most of the duration of the trip to wherever they were going, glad of the break from Bertrand’s relentless training sessions. She woke with a small yawn, stretching her arms and looking at a bored Maxwell and the usual stern Bertrand.

“I hate to be cliche, but… are we there yet?” Airili asked with a smile which caused a matching one to appear on Maxwell’s face almost instantly. 

“Almost, Airili. Believe me, I’m as excited as you to get out of this car…” Maxwell assured, shifting in his seat as if to further prove his point. “Especially since we’re going to Applewood!”

“Is that really the name of the royal family’s country manor?” Airili questioned, recalling Bertrand mentioning where they were heading in the rush earlier that morning. “Everything in Cordonia has been so grand, but that’s… quaint!”

“It’s decidedly appropriate,” Bertrand stated, neatly folding the newspaper he had been reading on his lap. “Applewood Manor borders the largest apple orchard in the entire kingdom, and that’s where they first cultivated the apple varietal Cordonia is most famous for…”

“Oh, right. This famous apple is called The Cordonia Ruby.” Airili repeated a tidbit of Cordonian information that Bertrand had drilled into her head.

“Very good, you’ve been paying attention.” Bertrand smiled and Airili had an inner debate about whether or not a puppy had died because of it. “The Cordonian Ruby is a red varietal that’s pleasantly crisp with an intense flavor that has notes of honeyed caramel.”

“You know, that’s probably the most poetic thing you’ve ever said.” Airili mused and Bertrand’s smile was replaced by his usual scowl. 

“Certain subjects call for a little poetry.” Bertrand defended, back straightening ever-so-lightly.

“Like apples, obviously.” Airili supplied with an amused smirk.

“Precisely.” Bertrand either missed or chose to ignore her smirk. “Now, let us review your role this weekend in earnest…”

“‘In earnest’?” Airili repeated with a raised brow. “You make it sound like I need to step up my game…”

“Oh, you  _ do _ ,” Bertrand confirmed sternly. “Since the King’s announced his retirement,  _ everything _ has changed…”

“I guess the announcement was pretty serious, huh?” Airili frowned, feeling the air in the limo tense with this subject. “I saw King Constantine talking to Thomas about it at the beach party…”

“Really?” Bertrand leaned over as if that would cause her to divulge more. “What do you know about it?”

“Well, I know that the Prince wasn’t expecting the announcement,” Airili confessed, remembering how distressed Thomas had been right after it. 

“Hmmm,  _ interesting… _ ” Airili immediately regretted saying anything as Bertrand started picking apart the situation in his mind. “Anything else? Has he talked to you since?”

“No, I haven’t seen him around much lately…” This caused a sad frown to appear on her features. She neglected to point out that was in part due to Bertrand’s relentless training schedule.

“He’s probably busy with preparations for the Coronation…” Maxwell tried to cheer her up, a sympathetic expression on his face. 

“That’s precisely the reason we need to make a more concerted effort,” Bertrand said, thwarting Maxwell’s attempt to cheer her up. “We’re no longer playing for the title of princess. If Airili marries him, she  _ will _ be queen. The stakes are higher than ever. We must succeed.” 

“Bertrand… You know I actually care about the Prince, right?” Airili scowled, eyes narrowed as she tried her best to fight her irritation with him. “We have a relationship. If he chooses me, it’ll be because he cares for me, and I care for him.” She knew there was more too it than that, but she’d say just about anything to get Bertrand to stop sounding like an asshole for a moment.

“That’s good. Use that.” And any faith that Airili had in the man had officially been extinguished. “Let your sentimental heart fuel your competitive spirit.”   
“Bertrand…” His name came out as a warning through gritted teeth. 

“I’m merely preparing you.” Bertrand defended disapprovingly. “The other ladies are only going to get more competitive, and if you do care about him, then you’ll get serious.”

“Well, that I can agree to,” Airili admitted with a heavy sigh. 

“We’re running out of time after all. There’s only about a month and a half before the Coronation Ball at the end of the season.” Bertrand reasoned and Airili’s heart stopped for a moment.    
“So soon?” Her heart pondered how Thomas must be feeling, close to having the responsibility of running a nation singlehandedly on his shoulders.

“Time flies when you’re jet-setting around Cordonia.” Maxwell quipped and Airili gave him a weak smile.

“So what do I need to do?” Airili wondered, knowing Bertrand probably had a list that could run through the palace halls efficiently for her. “What are the directives for the day?”

“No time to play coy.” Maxwell reasoned, rubbing his chin in thought. “Spend as much time with Thomas as possible.”

“But if you can’t do that, try not to get into trouble,” Bertrand added and Airili was almost shocked at the brevity of his reply. “According to my reports, you Duchess Olivia, and Countess Madeleine are the frontrunners…”

“But Thomas and I have a special connection.” Airili’s eyebrows knit together. 

“His Royal Highness isn’t the only one who matters.” Bertrand rolled his eyes. “Olivia and Madeleine may not be foremost in the Prince’s heart, but they are popular with other royals, the nobles, and the public. They’re both going to try to undermine you.”

“Olivia’s been trying since the beginning, but I’ve stood my ground.” She assured, not altogether elated about that fact. “I don’t know that much about Madeleine.”

“Her mother is Cordonian nobility, which is where she gets her title of Countess, and she’s practically royalty on her father’s side as well.” Bertrand supplied thoughtfully. “Her family is powerful, and she’s grown up immersed in the intrigues and maneuverings of courtly life. Don’t underestimate her. She’s used to winning. Any, you won’t be able to avoid either lady in public, but try your best to keep your cool and be diplomatic, especially when the press is around. You’ve done remarkably well so far, but there’s still room to fail.”

Airili simply nodded, feeling the limo come to a stop and her hopes soar at the thought of finally getting out of the car for a while. 

“We’re here!” Maxwell cheered, peeking out the window like an excited puppy.

Airili climbed out of the limo, anticipating a nice stroll to stretch her legs after the long car ride with an excited smile. She was immediately greeted by vast gardens that reminded her of the palace. No doubt Thomas’ mother’s gardening visions were at work here too. 

The building was by no means as extravagant as the palace but no less beautiful, sitting proudly in the middle of the vast garden with decorative trim and green shutters. Anywhere Airili went in Cordonia felt like something directly pulled from a fairytale and this charming manor was no exception. To the left and behind the manor, a vast apple orchard spread across the land, the colors reminding her of Christmas in summer. 

“Beautiful…” Airili murmured, eyes taking in every detail. “I can get used to this.”

“This is Applewood,” Maxwell explained, gesturing to the house. “It’s where we’ll be staying for the next few weeks…”

Maxwell busied himself with her luggage, dragging it inside as if he was searching for something to do that would align with his brother’s goals of keeping Airili free to approach the Prince should the need suddenly appear.

“Now we should settle in quickly,” Bertrand suggested, almost looking like he approved of his brother’s choice. “The Apple Blossom Festival will last today and tomorrow, and the first kick-off event is starting this afternoon…”

“What kind of apple-themed activities are we talking about?” Airili wondered, finding that Cordonian courtly events tended to stick to a theme common with the name.

“Delicious ones,” Maxwell answered, returning to them with a smile. “Apple-picking… apple-pie-baking…apple-tree-planting…”

“We Cordonians take our traditions very seriously,” Bertrand explained with a curt nod. “Be sure to show enthusiasm for all the events. That starts with finding something suitable to wear… Nothing too flashy. Just something that says you’re relatable and quaint…”

“I’ve got this,” Airili assured, following Maxwell inside the house, down the hall and into the small boutique. Maxwell went about his own business in a different part of the manor while Airili sifted through the dozens of dresses. 

She settled on a white dress with ruffles over the collar and sparse, pink flower print on the skirt that layered at various lengths at the bottom. To bring the dress together she put on a weaved belt and did her hair up in a loose and elegant bun. She wore sandals the same light tan as her belt that laced up just under her knees. 

“If this doesn’t say ‘a day in the countryside,’ I don’t know what does…” Airili mumbled, heading out into the gardens to find the event. She paused and one of the flowering bushes and plucked a sprig to put in her hair, tying the outfit together.

She here the buzzing of crowds down to the left of the house and followed it, finding a crowd of nobles, common folk, and media milling about in between the apple trees. She weaved through the crowd and until she was with the other eligible ladies and standing between Olivia and Madeleine, surprisingly on purpose.

“Shouldn’t you be in the back somewhere with Drake and the other commoners?” Olivia greeted with a low grow through gritted teeth.

“Shhh… It’s starting.” Madeleine hushed them and stared out at the King and Queen. 

They stood near a pile of wicker baskets that had been filled beyond the brim with bright, red apples. The King raised his arms and the crowd hushed.

“Welcome to the annual Apple Blossom Festival!” He began with a smile and Queen Regina stood next to him, looking over the crowd.

“As is tradition, myself and several ladies of the court will sample the apples of the first picking season!” Regina explained, gesturing to the throng of ladies. Servants began distributing the apples among them. Airili nodded with a quiet thanks, taking her apple and looking over it with fascination. She could see why the Cordonians were so proud of it. It had a flawless red complexion.

“It’s so red…” Airili murmured, admiring how the sun reflected off it. “It really is like a ruby.”

“Looks delicious.” Hana murmured, and Airili smiled, giving her a little wave which Hana returned.

“Oh, it is…” Olivia assured with a smile. “I can’t wait for you both to try it…”

“You know, I actually look forward to this every year…” Madeleine mused as she looked over her own apple.

“Ladies, if you will… Please try your apples.” Regina instructed and all the ladies brought the apples to their lips. The reporters edged closer, wanting to get each noble lady’s reaction to their prized apples.

“Make sure you look over here!” Donald Brine was calling out. “We’d love some reaction shots…”

“And a shot of that ensemble, Lady Airili…” Ana De Luca added with an approving grin. The other ladies had elected to where more extravagant sundresses and it didn’t fit with the environment quite as well. “Ruffles are on trend for this summer’s lineup! It’s perfect!”

“Thanks!” Airili smiled brightly, glad to hear the praise since it meant Bertrand wouldn’t scold her later.

The ladies each took turns trying their apples, Hana going first. 

“Oh!” Hana looked surprised by the taste and it only made Airili more excited to try it.

“Delicious,” Olivia commented approvingly after she finished chewing with a very pleased smirk.

“As refreshing as a summer breeze.” Madeleine mused, taking another bite for good measure.

Airili took a bite of her apple, excited to learn why the Cordonians were so proud of this apple. Her mouth was flooded with a mixture of bitter and sour tastes that were so sharp and powerful it was almost nauseating. For a moment, Airili almost forgot what she was supposed to be doing. Her eyes drew across the press and she swallowed, fighting a grimace with a smile.

“That was…  _ tasty. _ ” It was an accurate description, the apple was beyond a doubt filled with tastes.

“It looks like you enjoyed the Cordonian Ruby, Lady Airili?” Brine had the microphone pointed at her.

“It certainly has character.” Airili mused, thinking on the taste. Maybe it was supposed to be a pie apple?

“I wasn’t expecting such a sour taste!” Hana admitted with an embarrassed frown.

“The first crop of the season always has a particular  _ bite _ to it.” Madeleine murmured with a smile. “I rather like the taste personally.”

“You  _ would _ .” Olivia shook her head in annoyance. The King cleared his throat and the crowd once again drew their attention to him. 

“It looks like our ladies enjoyed their apples,” Constantine announced with a smile. “I’d like to extend a special thanks to our apple growers and farmers for preserving our noble tradition…”

“And with that…” Regina shepherded all the attention. “Happy Apple Blossom Festival!”

The crowd less out cheers and dispersed to pick apples among the orchard. Airili was about to follow but reporters quickly cornered her, Olivia, and Madeleine.

“Would it be alright with you ladies if I asked a few questions?” Donald asked with his charming reporter smile. 

“Of course!” Madeleine answered for the three of them. “Fydelia has always generously supported the CBC. I look forward to your favorable report.”

“And  _ I _ haven’t forgotten the amazing article about the Nevrakis family history in  _ Trend _ several years back…” Olivia mused, earning an approving nod from Ana.

“Your family has always been as fashionable as it is noble.” Ana De Luca replied with a small smirk.

“Well, Mr. Brine, Ms. De Luca, I don’t have a history with the CBC or  _ Trend _ …” Airili stated, feeling the need to tie her statement to the other ladies’. “But I can promise you a compelling story. The Prince and I are close. I’ve seen a side of him that he doesn’t often show in public. Wouldn’t you want to hear about that?”

She wasn’t going to reveal anything that would make Thomas uncomfortable or ruin his reputation but she was well aware that if she didn’t capture the press’ attention, Bertrand would scold her later.

“ _ Trend _ would be interested in Lady Airili’s insights as someone on the inside.” Ana agreed, trying to mask her excitement.

“Thank you.” Airili murmured, once again glad for the approval from the press.

“Lady Airili makes an excellent point, and I’d like to remind everyone that we all have a relationship with the Prince that could provide a unique spin,” Madeleine added with a sweet smile but Airili only felt annoyed.

“Yes, I’ve been Thomas’ friend since childhood,” Olivia stated with a smirk, sure that Airili and Madeleine had no claim on this subject.

“And I myself am close to the Prince and have the pleasure of calling the Queen my friend.” Madeleine took the press’ attention once again. “Now, any other questions?”

“Just one last one…” Donald promised. “You’ve been at court enjoying all the events the social season has to offer, competing for the Prince’s attention. At this stage, who do  _ you _ think the Prince will choose?”

“The Prince will choose whoever will make the best queen,” Airili answered. It was the most honest answer she could think of. “The Prince is loyal and dedicated. He’ll do what’s best for his country and people.”

“But you’re still wishing it’ll be you?” Ana pried.

“With everything in me,” Airili admitted truthfully and the honesty in her at the statement almost knocked the wind out of her. “But I know Prince Thomas will do what’s right, and I’m trying to be worthy of being his choice.”

“Can I quote you on that?” De Luca asked and Airili nodded.

“Of course.”

“Very well-put, Lady Airili.” Madeleine praised with an approving nod.

“Really?” Airili was surprised to get any praise from Madeleine with how cold and calculating she seemed to be when the press or anyone important wasn’t around.

“Yes. I know  _ I _ find the Prince’s devotion to cause and country inspiring.” Madeleine continued as if Airili hadn’t spoken.

“As do we all, Lady Madeleine.” Ana agreed with a smile. “That’s it for questions.”

“Thank you, ladies…” Donald murmured, pocketing his notepad. “Especially you, Lady Airili. Your answers were quite interesting.”

“You’re welcome.” Airili murmured, though she felt like she had hardly spoken with how Madeleine navigated the press.

The reporters left to explore the rest of the festivities and Olivia shot Airili a glare. Madeleine’s eyes were also on her but if she felt any real loathing toward her, she didn’t show it.

“That was… informative.” Madeleine mused thoughtfully. “Lady Airili, you answered with such grace and poise.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Airili kept her sweet smile on, trying to decide if Madeleine was being sincere or attempting to get her guard down.

“It was rather enviable.” Madeleine commended. “I only hope you can keep it up without any  _ mishaps. _ Some women can’t handle the pressure.”

“ _ I _ can,” Airili assured firmly, finally fully aware of Madeleine’s intentions. Airili was certain she would do anything to make Thomas smile for the rest of his life, even if the pressures were incredibly high. 

“As can I.” Olivia obviously felt the need to contribute. “If either of you think you’ve won, you’ve got another thing coming.”

“Oh, Olivia, dear…” Madeleine murmured as if she almost pitied her. “I think we all know where we stand. May the best woman win.”

With that, Madeleine left and Airili couldn’t help but feel relieved at her absence. Olivia gave a disapproving shake of her head and stalked off in the opposite direction. Airili shrugged and searched for Maxwell and Bertrand.

“You did well up there with the press.” Bertrand greeted with a curt nod that didn’t quite match the rare ones he gave for approval. “Madeleine didn’t shake you.”

“Yeah, but I’m beginning to see what you mean,” Airili admitted sadly. “She spun everything positively for herself…”

“Still, this gives me hope,” Bertrand confessed and Airili gawked, trying to decide if she had her him correctly.

“Also, thanks for  _ not _ giving me a heads-up about the apple!” She glared, remembering that she had been anticipating a very different taste thanks to Bertrand’s poetry. “You said it’d taste like caramel!”

“I said it had an ‘intense flavor’!” Bertrand countered with a similar glare. “Besides, if you can’t handle something as simple as a sour apple, I shudder to think how you’ll crumble when presented with a  _ real _ challenge!”

“Whatever.” Airili didn’t feel like continuing this argument, well aware that it would only end in Bertrand insisting that she was inadequate in some regard or other. “So what happens now?”

“Right now, I suggest you two go down this path and enjoy a stroll through the royal gardens…” Bertrand stated coolly. “I have it on good authority that the Prince is there now. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Come on, Airili, I’ll show you where to go!” Maxwell encouraged, knowing that some time with Thomas would make Airili forget all about Bertrand for a little while.

They were heading off through the garden a few minutes later when they heard Bertrand talking to someone with an excessively agitated tone. They turned to see him rather heatedly chatting with Ana De Luca. 

“Hold on, Maxwell.” Airili murmured, looking over at the small commotion. “Is that Bertrand talking to the reporter from  _ Trend _ ?”

“Ana, you’re being unreasonable,” Bertrand growled, trying his best to exercise patience he obviously didn’t have. 

“Not the way I see it,” Ana replied, glaring at the man. Bertrand let out a heavy, angery sigh and stormed off, stomping away. 

“Looks like something’s up.” Airili whispered so only Maxwell could hear, her eyebrows knitting together in concern. “Any idea what’s going on?”

“Not really.” Maxwell admitted, looking incredibly sad. “Bertrand doesn’t let me get involved with House Beaumont stuff. He thinks I’d just screw it up.”

“That’s not fair, Maxwell!” Airili murmured, a little relieved that she wasn’t the only one that Bertrand was cruel to but mostly depressed by the relationship that Maxwell didn’t have with his brother.

“I kind of see his point,” Maxwell confessed, regret overwhelming his features. “I  _ am _ kind of a screw-up…”

“Don’t let Bertrand get to you.” Airili frowned, angry at Bertrand for making his little brother feel this way. It was one thing to do this to her, but as far as she knew Maxwell was his only living relative and that made the behavior worse. “You’re as much a member of House Beaumont as he is!”

“It  _ does _ look like things didn’t go well with that reporter…” Maxwell agreed thoughtfully. “Maybe I could help… But wait, I don’t want to distract you. We’re supposed to be going to find the Prince. You really think we should do it?”

“He’s your brother. I know you want to help him if we can.” Airili did want to see Thomas but the King-to-be would have to wait just a moment. Airili couldn’t stand seeing the way Bertrand was treating Maxwell and if there was a way to resolve their disputes, it would be well worth it, especially if Bertrand treated her better by extension.

“Thanks for coming with me, Airili.” Maxwell but on a smile but it lacked his usual confidence. “I hate awkward situations.”

Side-by-side, Maxwell and Airili approached Ana. She heard their footsteps and turned to look at them. 

“Lady Airili, what a surprise.” De Luca greeted pleasantly. “Did you want to add to your earlier comments?”

“Yes, Ms. De Luca…” Airili nodded, gesturing to her companion. “I’m actually here with my friend Maxwell. We wanted to see if you’d be willing to share some information with us.”

“Straight to the point. I like that.” De Luca commended with a nod of approvingly. “First off, if we’re talking off the record, just call me Ana.” 

“Okay, Ana…” Airili agreed, testing her name on her tongue. “I wanted to ask… What were you and Bertrand arguing about?”

“Bertrand’s always been  _ very _ concerned with how the world sees him and his house,” Ana answered with a sigh. “Let’s just say that my view of what’s currently going on didn’t exactly match with the image he wants the world to see.”

“So… you know that we’re broke.” Maxwell frowned, knowing how well Bertrand would take that getting out. 

“Not to put too fine a point on it, but yes,” Ana confirmed with a nod. “What happens to the Beaumont House  _ is _ Cordonian news.”

“We’re not really that important.” Maxwell murmured, knowing that as far as noble houses went, the Beaumonts didn’t really do much in regards to how the country was run.

“Bertrand  _ made _ House Beaumont important.” De Luca countered, arms crossed. “He catapulted your family name into the spotlight. Good or bad, Cordonia wants to know what’s happening with you. I happen to think that they deserve the truth. But Bertrand doesn’t see it that way. He was furious.”

“Well, can you blame him for wanting some privacy?” Airili asked, hoping that empathy would be the right approach.

“Part of being a noble in the Cordonian court is giving up any expectation of privacy,” Ana argued, taking off her sunglasses to clean them with a cloth she pulled out of her purse. “That  _ used _ to be something Bertrand loved. Besides, if Bertrand truly wanted to be a recluse, he could move to some far-off mountain estate. He obviously still wants to be in the public eye… He just wants the public to be in awe of him and his ‘wealth.’”

“Well… so… are you going to run a story about my brother?” Maxwell asked seriously. Ana replaced her sunglasses on her face.

“...Yes.” She confirmed flatly.

“Bertrand would be devastated.” Maxwell murmured, shoulders deflating as a sad frown covered his features.

“Think you could spare him?” Airili wondered pleadingly.

“Look, I don’t appreciate Bertrand’s way of going about things.” Ana scowled, looking off in the direction the man had left in. “If he thinks he can intimidate me, he’s got another thing coming!”

“But we’re not trying to intimidate you.” Maxwell defended. “We’re practically begging you!”

“True,” Ana admitted with a sad frown.

“Please, it would ruin our house’s reputation,” Maxwell begged, trying to meet her eyes.

“Nonsense.” Ana disagreed, rolling her eyes. “People love a good riches-to-rags story even more than a rags-to-riches one. If anything, it would make the people love you.”

“Actually, people would mock them.” Airili reasoned, remembering how hard people had been on her mother for being impoverished. 

“No one likes to kick a man when he’s down.” Ana retorted defensively. 

“I wish I could believe that, but I’ve known a lot of jerks in my life, and I think that’s exactly the kind of thing they’d do.” Airili sighed softly. 

“If not the people of Cordonia, then the nobles in the rest of the world.” Maxwell shivered at the thought, sadness showing prominently in his eyes.

“Well… perhaps.” Ana agreed reluctantly, shoulders sagging. “Okay, you’ve made your point. I’ll delay my story to the end of the social season.”

“Thank you!” Maxwell immediately brightened, knowing that they were out of trouble for now. 

“Now, I really must be going,” Ana stated, straightening her posture. “It was… interesting talking to you two.”

Ana departed, leaving Maxwell and Airili standing alone in that part of the garden. Maxwell seemed incredibly relieved, letting out a breath he didn’t seem to be holding. 

“Thanks for coming with me to talk to her,” he said sincerely. “I’m really glad we did.”

“It’s always strange to hear people talk about the way things used to be.” Airili murmured, dwelling on a comment Ana had made. “Was Bertrand really so different?”

“Oh, you have no idea…” Maxwell answered, pausing as he remembered something. “Let me tell you about the New Years Eve party he threw six years ago…”

* * *

 

It was ticking closer and closer to midnight and everyone had gathered around the main staircase in the Beaumont house. The normally elegant and stoic home was covered wall to wall in streamers and balloons and confetti littered the blue carpets that were placed down every major hallway in the manor. Maxwell could remember it clearly. 

“More champagne!” Bertrand called, climbing up the stairs partway in preparation for his speech. “You can’t have a toast without champagne!”

“Hold on a sec…” Maxwell let out a chuckle as he climbed the stairs next to his brother. “I saw something cool on the internet. Give me that bottle.”

Maxwell grabbed the bottle that the servants had handed Bertrand and then a sword off the wall at the top of the stairs.

“Maxwell, that sword is over one hundred years old!” Bertrand fitted. Maxwell examined the sword contemplatively. 

“It is?” Maxwell asked, hesitating since Bertrand seemed to be uncomfortable with the idea.

“And so is that champagne!” Bertrand stated and then he broke into a big grin. “Neither’s getting any younger, so let’s have at it!”

“Hear, hear!” Olivia cheered, excited now that a sword had entered the event.

“Let’s have it!” Savannah, Drake’s little sister, yelled excitedly. 

“Yeah, don’t make us wait all day,” Drake shouted playfully. 

“Be careful!” Thomas reminded despite one of his more genuine smiles covering his face.

Maxwell set the bottle on a flat area of the staircase’s railing and held the sword as a warrior might. With an elegant swing, he slashed at the neck of the bottle and champagne exploded from it in all directions, fountaining up beautifully and everyone cheered enthusiastically. 

“Oooh!” Savannah grinned brightly. 

“Expert swing!” Thomas commended with an approving nod.

“Here’s to the party of the century!” Maxwell screamed it as a battle cry.

“No…” Bertrand said sternly, smile absent from his face. Maxwell hesitated, looking like a scolded puppy. 

“No?” Maxwell repeated quietly.

“We toast to my brother, who makes any party he’s at the party of the century!” Bertrand toasted in his own battle cry. 

“Wooo hooo!” Maxwell cried, raising his glass of champagne. “Come one, everyone!”

“Yeah, yeah. Woohoo.” Drake grumbled, but a smile teased the corners of his mouth. 

“Come on, Drake. I dragged you out for a night of fun.” Savannah chastised. “Show a little enthusiasm! Yaaaaay!”

“Come now, we need a proper New Year’s Eve toast from the hosts,” Olivia demanded despite her smile.

“Quite right you are, Olivia.” Bertrand agreed, straightening his vest. “Maxwell, would you join me in doing the honors?”

Maxwell gave an enthusiastic nod. Bertrand grabbed his own glass of champagne and the brothers wrapped their arms around each other’s shoulders, facing the crowd.

“Friends, nobles…” Maxwell chuckled as his vague reference to Shakespear. 

“Courtley guests, members of the elite…” Bertrand continued with a bright grin on his face.

“And whoever else manage to sneak in here tonight…” Maxwell added with a victorious smirk. “Let me begin by saying it’s YOUR great honor to be here. And  _ my _ great honor as well… because any party that Bertrand hosts is sure to be an epic night to remember.” To this, Bertrand gave a flattered chuckle. “Were any of you here for the one with all the llamas? Because that was  _ crazy _ …”

“Llamas?” Savannah repeated with a shocked expression. Beaumont parties had a reputation for being unbelievable but she never imagined llamas would somehow be thrown into the mix.

“Even that night will be nothing compared to  _ tonight _ !” Bertrand reasoned, his widest grin of the evening spreading over his face. “After all, what’s the point of having another party if you can’t make it even bigger and better than the last?”

The crowd let out some cheers in response but the noise died down the moment the large clock down the hall started to chime and echo through the house, signaling midnight. 

“Hurry it up!” Olivia shouted with a grin. 

“It’s the new year!” Savannah announced, practically bouncing on her toes.

“In conclusion, cheers to the Brothers Beaumont!” Maxwell toasted, raising his glass high. Bertrand squeezed his shoulder fondly, raising his glass high as well. 

“Cheers!” he agreed with a bright grin.

“Cheers!” the crowd cried in response, raising glasses high.

“Cheers!” Maxwell repeated, downing his flute of champagne. “And… Happy New Year!”

* * *

 

“...And that’s how things were.” Maxwell concluded, regretful that things had taken a drastic change for the worse.

“Wow.” Airili was at a loss for words after that retelling. It was hard enough picturing Bertrand smiling genuinely, let alone being a party animal. “I can’t believe Bertrand was actually like that.”

“Yeah… but enough about that.” Maxwell shoved his hands in his pockets and started following the path deeper into the garden. “We’ve got to get you to your prince!”

Airili followed behind and after a few minutes, they came to a pond that was surrounded by flowers and flowering trees. A waterfall was at one end and on the other side across the bridge and through a weaving path, there was a gazebo. There were a few nobles enjoying the sights, watching the fish that circled the waters and weaved between the lilies that dotted the surface. 

“Where’s Thomas?” Airili asked, looking around but finding a distinct lack of him or any of the noble ladies shepherding his attention. “I don’t see him… He’s been a little off since the Regatta…”

“Well, Bertrand said he was here…” Maxwell murmured thoughtfully. “I’ll look around.”

Maxwell wandered off and Airili strolled across the bridge, admiring the garden. She saw a sign hanging in front of the gazebo. 

‘Exhibit Closed’

“Hmmm…” Airili hummed thoughtfully, carefully sneaking past the sign and into the gazebo. It seemed like just the sort of place Thomas would go to escape for a little while, especially since it was the first social event since his father announced that in a few short months, he’d be King. She found him leaning on the railing facing the pond, staring sadly at the goldfish and koi below. “Thomas?”

“Airili! I…” Thomas turned around, looking rather surprised but not at all disappointed in the interruption of his solitude. 

“Is something wrong?” Airili wondered, eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

“No. It’s just…” Thomas hestitated, looking back over the pond. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”

“Thomas… I can tell something’s bothering you.” Airili murmured, resting her hand on his shoulder as she moved to stand beside him. “What is it?”

“Airili, can I ask you something?” Thomas broke the silence after a few minutes of contemplating whatever was on his mind. 

“Of course.”

“Do you…” Thomas hesitated, either trying to find the right words or reconsidering even asking. “Do you think you could handle being Queen of Cordonia? Truly?”

Airili wasn’t prepared for such a heavy question. She thought for a moment.

“Could I handle being queen?” She repeated as she thought, looking at him and knowing her answer. “Yes, I believe so. I haven’t spent as much time at court as some of the other ladies, but I’d like to think I could do a good job…”

“That’s… good.” 

“Is that what’s been on your mind recently?” She wondered with a frown. Thomas looked so sad.

“That’s part of it.” He sat down on one of the benches, sighing softly. “But as for the rest… I… it’s not something I can talk about. With anyone. But trust me, if I could… You’d be the one I’d want to tell.”

“Thomas…” It was obvious by the bags under his eyes that he hadn’t been sleeping well these last few weeks. She reached for his arm and he leaned against her, hugging her without holding her. For a moment, she thought he was going to cry into her shoulder or something similar. 

“Honestly, I’ll be fine,” he promised, reaching for her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Anyway, it’s just boring royal business. Not worth troubling you about in any case.”

“Well, then, maybe I can join you in the gardens,” Airili suggested, slowing pulling away. Sulking alone was doing him no favors and a walk might do him good. He nodded and they left the gazebo to stroll around the pond. 

“I’ve always loved the view here,” Thomas confessed, letting out a breath as if it was his first time learning to breathe.

“It’s magical.” Airili agreed, feeling like she was walking through a painting. “I’ve never seen so many apple blossoms.”

“The festival is a special time of the year for this garden.” he mused, looking around and sighing. “I could stay here all day, but…”

“But?” Airili frowned, knowing that Thomas had to make his rounds with the other ladies.

“I have plans to meet Drake,” Thomas admitted and Airili felt a little bit better about him leaving. She’d still miss him though.

“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” She murmured softly.

“You’re welcome to come with me.” Thomas smiled, shifting on his toes. “He’d probably be happy to see you. He sort of dreads this day every year.”

“He hates apples?” Airili questioned, raising an eyebrow with an amused smirk.

“Not quite.” Thomas chuckled. “Today is Drake’s birthday.”

“Today’s Drake’s birthday?” she repeated, shock covering her face. “Figures he’d try to keep it a secret.” 

“Hmm… yes, he’d actually probably be furious if he knew that I’d told you.” he mused with a giggle. “He usually spends the day hiding out in his room. Sometimes I’m able to convince him to have a drink with me… But that’s about as far as it goes.” His attention turned to a denim-clad figure strolling their way. “Ah, there he is now…”

Hana and Maxwell were close on his heels, looking around and smiling victoriously when they spotted Thomas and her. 

“Drake!” Airili greeted with a grin.

“Why do you look so happy to see me?” Drake wondered out loud and then horror filled his eyes. “Oh no… god no…”

“Yep. Happy birthday.” Drake turned to his best friend.

“Thomas,  _ you told her? _ ” he glared.

“My deepest apologies, Drake.” Thomas did look a little forlorn. “I forgot that it was such a closely guarded secret.” Drake saw his friend’s expression and sighed, patting his shoulder.

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter, because this is the last we’re ever going to speak of it ever again.” Drak said firmly. 

“You don’t want to do something fun on your birthday?” Hana pouted, looking rather depressed at the thought. “Even  _ I _ was allowed petit fours and an hour playing with my father’s cat each year…”

“Man, Drake, even Hana feels bad for you.” Maxwell mused, shaking his head. 

“I don’t need fun to enjoy myself,” Drake growled, letting out a sigh. “Besides, what could you jokers possibly want to do that would be fun for me?”

“Are all Americans as fussy as Drake is about birthdays, Airili?” Maxwell wondered curiously. 

“Drake’s an American?” Airili questioned, a little glad to have something in common with him.

“Half. On my mother’s side.” Drake explained briefly. 

“That gives me an idea…” Airili mused thoughtfully. “Do you have any American Western-themed bars here in Cordonia?”

“Checking on my phone now…” Maxwell quickly pulled out his phone, typing speedily. 

“How about that, Drake?” Airili questioned, raising an eyebrow. “Whiskey, mechanical bull riding, and some good ol’ American fun.” 

“I guess it doesn’t sound  _ horrible _ …” Drake admitted, hesitating. “But I can’t ask you guys to sneak out for that.”

“Nonsense,” Thomas replied with a grin. “I’d love to.”

“I’d also like to understand more of Airili’s American culture!” Hana chimed, smiling as well.

“And I’ll take any excuse to drink and dance the night away!” Maxwell added, raising his phone. “Plus, I just found the perfect place!”

“I don’t know…” Drake bit his lip. “Do you really want to do this, Airili?”

“I almost think we  _ have _ to with that outfit she’s got on…” Hana chuckled.

“I say we’re goin’ out tonight!” Airili stated, pushing her friends off in the direction of the manor. 

“Yes!” Maxwell whooped victoriously. 

“I must go prepare!” Hana announced, heading off to either the boutique or her bedroom. 

“Yeah… something tells me this is going to be a night to remember.” Drake mused, but the corners of his mouth turned up.

A few hours later they were piling out of the Beaumont limo dressed in a poor understanding of what American Western clothes looked like. Drake and Airili hadn’t really needed to change. Thomas had donned a brown vest and a red bandana which he had tied the way he usually did his scarf. Maxwell had raided Drake’s luggage for a denim shirt that was much too big for him. And Hana had elected to wear a pair of jeans and a pink, long sleeve button-up. 

“The party has arrived!” Maxwell announced dramatically as they entered the bar.

“Oh? Where?” Hana asked, frantically searching the open room.

“It’s us, Hana,” Drake explained flatly. “He means us.”

“Exactly, my good man.” Maxwell nodded, taking a look around the bar. “As in,  _ we’re _ the life of the party.”

“We… are?” Hana questioned still looking minorly confused. 

“Well. Some of us.” Maxwell replied with a chuckle. 

“I can’t believe you actually talked me into this,” Drake grumbled, but his usually tense shoulders were slightly relaxed.

“First order of business…” Airili grabbed Drake’s wrist and started leading him to the bar. “We’ve got to get you a birthday drink!”

“I’ll buy the first round.” Thomas offered with a small smile as he trailed behind them with the rest of the group. 

“On his  _ birthday? _ ” Airili asked incredulously. “Any bartender with a heart would give him a  _ free _ drink to start the night off, don’t you think?”

“Free drinks are something that happens when you’re a  _ woman _ , Airili.” Drake reasoned, rolling his eyes. “Even on my twenty-first birthday, I didn’t get so much as a free drop from anyone.”

“No?” Airili paused but her determination was far from diminished. “Well, let me see what I can do. Come on, Drake.” She pushed him the rest of the way to the bar and flagged the man pouring the drinks down. “Hey, bartender, my friend here is celebrating his birthday today! Can we get a drink on the house?”

The bartender thought for a moment or two, considering the duo in front of him and finally nodded. He murmured something about taking care of a few drinks and coming back and moved back to the other side of the bar. 

“It’s like everything I know is wrong.” Drake murmured disbelievingly, looking like he might go into shock. 

“Heh. Good of you to admit it.” Airili chuckled. Drake snapped his fingers, looking rather victorious.

“No, wait. I figured it out.” He stated, turning to look at her. “Of course he’ll do it for you. No one says no to a hot girl.”

“Drake, do you want this free drink or not?” Airili asked pointedly.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered like a scolded child.

“Then I believe the appropriate thing to say is ‘thank you.’” she suggested and he shook his head.

“I’ll decide whether or not I should thank you once I see what you order for me.” he decided, stiffening as the bartender returned to take his order.

“A whiskey for the birthday boy, please,” Airili ordered. The bartender nodded and started on the simple order but Drake was actually smiling. 

“It’s really starting to feel like my birthday now.” he mused, taking the whiskey with a nod of thanks. “Gotta admit, I thought you might make me suffer.”

“What can I say, it’s your birthday.” Airili smiled, glad to see Drake happy. “Everyone deserves to have at least  _ one _ day out of the year when people are nice to them.”

“A guy could get used to this.” Drake admitted after finishing his drink. 

“There you two are!” Hana came up to them with a grin, done exploring the bar with Maxwell.

“Prince Thomas just paid the guy operating the mechanical bull,” Maxwell informed next to her, buzzing with excitement. “He wants Drake to ride!”

“Me?” Drake’s jaw dropped. “No way.”

“I figured you wouldn’t want to, but Thomas says you’re some kind of expert…” Maxwell stated coolly. 

“Is that true?” Airili wondered, looking to Drake for the answer.

“There’s only one way you’d get to find out, and I’m not drunk enough to make a fool of myself yet,” Drake answered, shaking his head.

“Personally, I’d rather see Hana try…” Maxwell admitted and Hana looked surprised.

“Oh! I couldn’t.” she protested, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin!”

“Yeah, that’s why it’d be fun!” Maxwell reasoned and Drake chuckled. “Okay, tie-breaker vote... Airili! Hana or Drake?”

“Hmm…” Airili thought for a moment before grinning. “I think Hana should do it.” 

“Really?” Hana blinked as a loss. “I don’t think I’d be any good at it at  _ all _ !”

“Maybe that’s exactly why you should try it.” Airili reasoned, giving her hand an encouraging squeeze. “It’s okay to be terrible at something every now and then.”

“In fact, it’s kind of liberating,” Maxwell added. Hana hesitated for a moment.

“Well… okay! I’ll do it!” she announced and the group made their way over to the mechanical bull. She climbed over the padded ring and onto the bull, delicately adjusting her shirt. It made the situation feel a little comical. “Yee… haw?”

With a pull of a switch, the bull sprung to life, bucking and twisting wildly. Hana gripped the mechanical beast as best she could.

“WOAH! Good bull! Nice bull!”

“You’ve got this!” Airili cheered and Hana smiled brightly, starting to let out a melodic laugh from the adrenaline. 

The bull bucked hard and Hana was thrown from it and onto the soft padding surrounding it. She let out a delighted fit of giggles, barely able to breathe as she was pulled to her feet by Airili and Maxwell.

“Oh goodness…” She managed between breaths, wiping a few tears from her eyes gracefully. “I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard!”

“Glad you did it?” Airili questioned with a grin. Hana nodded.

“Definitely.” Maxwell’s attention was caught as the band started playing a new song, his eyes lighting up.

“We should hit the dance floor!” he suggested excitedly. 

“I don’t think you can waltz to this.” Hana murmured with a frown.

“Yeah, exactly the point,” Maxwell replied. “I mean  _ really _ dance. Like, the fun kind of dancing.” 

“The… fun… kind?” Hana repeated slowly, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “What would that entail?”

“I could tell you, but it’s going to be a lot more fun to show you,” Maxwell answered with a mischievous grin. He turned towards the dancefloor and everyone followed on his heels. Airili shared a glance with Thomas and taking his hand as they stepped onto the floor after Maxwell.

“Lady Airili…” he murmured quietly so only she could be blessed with her name on his lips.

“We’re not at some courtly royal function.” Airili teased with a grin. “It’s just Airili right now.”

“Of course.” He grinned. They swayed together, Airili occasionally testing how far she could push boundaries by brushing their legs together with each movement. The action caused a soft, pink blush to spread over his cheeks.

“Thomas…” Airili smirked. “What could you possibly be thinking right now?” Thomas cleared his throat, voice a little higher than usual.

“Just how enjoyable it is to have you so close…” he murmured, pulling her even closer to him.

“That’s funny. I was just thinking the same thing…” she quipped, causing a low chuckle to leave him.

“Even in a crowdedd country bar, it’s amazing how everyone else in the room seems to fall away when I look into your eyes…” he mused, giving her hand a squeeze.

“Thomas…” She was at a loss when he gave her such massive compliments.

The night continued on with the group on the dance floor, Thomas and Airili sneaking as many sweet moments away from court as they could, Drake watching everyone dance with a glass of whiskey in his hand, and Maxwell teaching Hana as many dance moves as he knew.

“And this, Hana, is ‘the sprinkler.’” he instructed, doing the motion to the beat as if it was second nature to him, and speculation suggested it probably was.

“Ooh, do you have sprinkles?” Hana asked with a grin.

“It’s… water.” Maxwell frowned but he was in too good a mood to dwell on Hana’s misunderstanding. “Just forget it.”

Airili had a brilliant idea somewhere in the middle of the evening pulling apart with a big grin.

“Thomas, get in the middle of the circle and show us a move!” It was fun making the prince think on his toes about things that wouldn’t affect his courtly standing, and she was sure he enjoyed feeling more like a human than a prince in these moments.

“I couldn’t possibly.” Thomas protested but there was a dim light of excitement at the thought filling his eyes.

“Do it!” Drake encouraged with a grin. He was obviously tipsy, but since it was his birthday any other state seemed inappropriate for the occasion. Maxwell got on board with the idea, chanting Thomas name to pressure him into it.

“Very well, if it’ll avoid causing a scene…” Thomas agreed, straightening his vest and moving to the center as instructed. He clapped to mostly center his mind on whichever action he had stowed himself for. He stepped a few feet backwards, ran a little and did a smooth flip, landing on his feet and once again straightening his vest.

“Woah! “ Airili gasped, blinking in disbelief. “I didn’t know you had moves like that!”

“As part of my education, my parents had me take a few years of gymnastics,” Thomas explained with a bashful smile. “I’m afraid that’s more or less all I remember.”

“It’s enough.” Maxwell commended, applauding. 

The night wandered later and later and soon the last song had tied out and their group had started towards the doors. 

“We shut this place  _ down! _ ” Maxwell exclaimed with a grin. 

“What did you think, Hana?” Airili asked curiously. The rest of the group had experienced America before but Hana had such a sheltered life that more than just the environment had probably been new to her.

“This was scary… but a fun kind of scary?” Hana confessed with a smile.

“You’ll learn to love going out,” Maxwell promised, patting her shoulder. “Just wait until next time.”

“Next time?” Hana repeated incredulously.

“I hope there’s a next time…” Thomas admitted with a hopeful smile. “As long as we can find another way to sneak out.”

“We’ll make it happen,” Airili promised. She’d seen smile more tonight than she had since his father’s announcement and she wasn’t about to lose it. 

Everyone was passing through the door to leave and pack into the limo but Drake was hanging back and Airili noticed.

“Not ready for your birthday to be over?” she asked, glad he was having a good time. He chuckled.

“Maybe.” He hesitated and then sighed. “You know, to tell you the truth, I always dreaded my birthday when I was a kid. My parents tried hard, really hard, to give me the best birthday they could. But I kind of always knew that no matter what they did, Prince Thomas’ parents were going to top it. My parents got me a toy T-rex? Thomas’ parents got the entire palace staff to dress up like dinosaurs for  _ his _ birthday. My parents got me a cake shaped like a car? Thomas’ parents got him a cake the  _ size _ of a car.”

“Drake…” Airili didn’t know what to say. That explained quite a lot about his outlook on birthdays though. “That must’ve been hard.”

“I mean, sure, it wasn’t  _ easy _ , but I knew we were lucky to live at the palace and even be  _ invited _ to Thomas’ birthdays.” Drake shrugged. “So I didn’t really care about that stuff. Never saw these birthday parties as a competition. But they were hell on my parents. They knew they could never even come close to what my best friend was getting… and that killed them. So around when I was nine or ten, I made a decision to stop trying. No more birthday parties, no more cakes, no more presents… all I wanted was to spend the day with my family doing something fun. My parents loved it. Made them feel like they could really give me something special.”

“Aww…” Airili smiled at the thought of a young Drake doing something like camping with his family wearing a big, toothy grin. 

“Yeah, yeah. I know. I’m a total marshmallow.” Drake rolled his eyes but his subtle smirk remained. “Just don’t tell anyone else.”

“No promises… but…” Airili frowned.

“But?” Drake raised an eyebrow.

“Drake, I hope I didn’t get in the way of any family traditions tonight.” She suddenly felt really guilty.

“Nah. My family’s not here anymore, so I wasn’t really expecting to do anything tonight,” he confessed with a shrug. “Anyway, tonight has actually been… well, it’s really been  _ fun _ . And if I’m being honest with myself, it’s felt a lot more like those special birthdays with my family than I thought it could…”

“Drake, are you saying I’m family now?” Airili questioned with a raised brow. Drake stared at her for a moment before looking away.

“...Not exactly.” he grumbled but a smile she’d never seen on him before grew on his lips. “But… maybe we  _ are _ friends. I’m glad you dragged me out.” He affectionally clapped her on the shoulder. “Anyway, we should call it a night.”

“Yeah…” Airili agreed, looking at the door. She raised her hand and he rolled his eyes but gave her a high-five. “Good job on an awesome night out. Oh yeah… and happy birthday.”

“Thanks, Vitalia.” Drake chuckled and they left the bar and ducked into the limo.

Airili fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow and before she knew it, she heard a knock and Maxwell and Bertrand calling her from the hallway. She made herself presentable and opened the door. 

“Rise and shine, little blossom!” Maxwell greeted with a smile. 

“Day two of the Apple Blossom Festival,” Bertrand stated with a curt nod in greeting. “I hope you’re prepared to fight for your time with the Prince, Airili.”

“And for all the apples!” Maxwell dragged the subject away from Bertrand’s cold take on their relationship. “You’ve made an apple pie before, right? And you’re pretty good at planting apple trees?”

“Er…” She hadn’t baked in a long time and she could say quite confidently that she’d never planted anything in her life.


End file.
